Hades' Heron
by Nykolas Rubidoux-Son of Hades
Summary: A faint glow emanated from the tattoo. Words were written in a spiraling pattern, getting smaller and smaller as they curled into the center. Even still the words were clear: Your warning is the meeting of another/ Thy saving grace is the blood of a brother /Then Hades' Heron will fail and the Ghost King smother/ And as dust to dust, both will fade to the Nether
1. Prolouge

Nico

Nico shivered in the chill stale air of the Underworld. He had always felt cold, lately. It might have partially been because the icy casing over his chest that had made its home inside him since a year ago, when Bianca had . . . he didn't want to think about her. It was still too painful. Memories were too fresh. He rubbed his arms and closed his eyes.

_ Focus, _he told himself. He imagined the dead crawling up through the ground, coming to his aid. Instead, an aura started to collect in front of him. Nico inhaled sharply. The mist formed a very tall figure, dressed in black. This wasn't supposed to happen. He was the son of Hades, he should be able to- the teenage boy saluted and stuck his hands in his pockets. His unkempt black hair was swept to the side by a non existent breeze, and the long woolen trench coat collar was flipped up, as if warding of the cold. A black scarf was wrapped around his neck, flowing the direction of his hair. Nico looked up into his face and nearly cried out. There he was. Or, at least, Nico mused, a vision of him in the future.

"Wh-wh-who- or what- are you?" he demanded. The apparition only looked him in the eye. "I command you to answer me! I am the son of Hades, lord of the Dead!" The teen smirked.

"So am I, little brother. But alas, I have fallen to our father's realm. I am dead," the ghost said sadly. Nico tried to collect himself.

"What do you want?" he asked, "Who are you?" Something about him gave Nico the chills. _I shouldn't be afraid of him, _he lectured himself scornfully, _he's just a ghost. He's dead._

"I am-" he stopped. "-was, Nykolas Rubidoux. The son of Hades Pluton. Deceased. May he rest in pieces." Nykolas smirked again. "Why am I here? Because I wanted to see my brother. I didn't know I had another living brother until I died. Ironic, isn't it?" Nico tried to speak, but ended up gaping like a fish. Nykolas laughed. "Close your mouth, or you'll swallow a Fury, if you're not careful." The younger shook his head.

"When did you die?" Nykolas' face darkened considerably.

"Only about a week ago. In a Greek fire accident."

"Why didn't our father tell us? How come we haven't met?"

"I don't know," replied Nykolas. His brow furrowed and he scowled. "Hades has many secrets." Nico balled his fists. His father treated him like some naïve, foolish child, unable to be trusted with the simplest things. He was never told anything. He shivered again. Nykolas glanced at him, then his watch. "Cold, huh?" Nico nodded, his teeth chattering.

"I d-don't h-h-have an-n-ny warm cl-l-lothes," he muttered, hugging himself.

"Doesn't help I'm sapping your strength," his brother reminded him. "Do you know where the museum is?" Nykolas looked a little desperate.

"I think so."

"Have you seen the exhibit statues of the children of Hades? Find the one of me. Press the black diamond on the right side of the name plate. A hidden compartment should open up. You'll find a small black envelope with a wax skull seal on it. Open it. Read the instructions."

The son of Hades' ghost put his hands on Nico's shoulders. "And remember," he said, staring deep into his eyes, "I'm watching out for you, Nico. A child of death still has some power, even once home for good." The image started to flicker. Nykolas backed up and started walking away. "Remember me, brother. Remember who you-" Nykolas disappeared completely. Nico's legs shook, and he slumped to the ground, his long lost brother's words replaying in his mind.

_ I wanted to see my brother. I'm watching out for you. Remember me. A child of death has power . . . Remember who you . . . Son of Hades Pluton . . . Rest in pieces . . . Sapping your strength . . . _He held his head between his knees. Nico felt dizzy. Wanted to sleep. Rest. Get away from the pain. _You'll find a small black envelope with a wax skull seal on it. Open it. Read the instructions. _Nico lifted his head. The desire to find that envelope grew stronger. He was compelled to believe it was important. It must be.

With a new surge of energy, he got to his feet and headed towards the palace staircase. The three flights of stairs heading downward seemed to fly by. He slid to a stop at the museum entrance and walked inside. The air felt stale and ageless. The room was lit by candles and torches burning from fixtures on the stone walls. At the end of the long room were the statues of deceased children of Hades, carved from polished black marble, that, once you looked long enough at it, it showed the person as they looked in real life. A golden name plate on each told the date of birth and death, and cause thereof, along with a memento from Hades and an altar. They were decorated with jewels and etchings in Greek, Latin and English.

Macaria, the first daughter of Hades. She was made the goddess of blessed death. Then followed Acheros, the son who went mad from his time in the Underworld. Adrian died early when he angered Athena and was attacked by owls. Next was Yudhisthira, some dude from a place called Hastinapura. The third statue was of Tiberius Claudius Hipparchus, a Greek in Roman times. King William the first of England, was a prosperous and just king in the Medieval era. Mansa Musa stood to William's right, holding a stone. Nico guessed it to be a gold nugget, by the look on Musa I's face. Rico Lamberto, an Italian, ended up being hanged for murder when a misunderstanding came between him and his wife. His whole family was dead by the time it got sorted out. The three patrons of World War II stood next to each other regally. Adolf Hitler. Victor Emmanuel III. Hirohito Showa.

The much more modern statues were saddening. Three small children, the oldest maybe six stood in a row. A boy with a round face and cheeky grin stood over the name plate that read, Nyxon T. Rubidoux. To his right a little girl held his hand, smiling shyly. Edith L. Rubidoux. On the marble in front of them sat a toddler holding a spoon, his face covered with pudding from a bowl in his lap. Benedict R. Rubidoux. The cause of death gave Nico a heartache. 'Killed in accident with a Maenad.' But it was the next statue that put him into tears.

His sister Bianca stood with her Hunter's bow drawn, aimed at the sky. Her hair was braided on her shoulder, and her dark eyes sparkled. Nico's heart was in his throat. "Bianca M. di Angelo. Hunter of Artemis. Died age 14 defending comrades and fellow Hunters." A whimper escaped Nico and tears rolled down his face. He desperately tried to stop crying, but to no avail. Sobs wracked his body and he knelt at his dead sister's altar. He felt a hand on his shoulder and a soothing presence. Looking up, he saw nobody. But he felt Nykolas' spirit. _Come, _he urged, _find the letter._ He sensed his brother leaving, but the comfort was still there.

"I'm watching out for you," Nykolas has said. Nico got to his feet and inhaled deeply. Shakily, he advanced to Nykolas' statue.

It showed his brother with one hand in the pocket of his trench coat and the other raised to his forehead in a two fingered salute. A large black sword hung at his side. 'Nykolas E. Rubidoux. Born 1893. Died age 15 saving mortals from Greek fire.' Nico did a double take. 1893? What in Hades? That would make him over a hundred years old! He filed the thought away.

A bottle of root beer was on his altar. Nico read the inscription from Hades. "My son, in this life you have made me proud. You have proved your worth a thousand times. I am sorry I couldn't be a better father. Forgive me." Nico wiped the tears from his eyes and pushed the black diamond on the right side of the plaque. For a moment nothing happened. Suddenly, a skeleton emerged from the opening in the floor and faced Nico with a sword.

"Leave!" he cried, and immediately it hopped back into the opening that shut after him, leaving behind only a black envelope. Just like Nykolas had said. Gingerly, he pried open the wax skull seal and took out the letter.

_ "Dear recipient,_

_ "If you have received this note, I take it you have disposed of my handy skeleton warrior. If you destroyed him, you will shortly see Hermes to take you to the proper entrance to the Underworld. Yes. I am saying you will be dead. You see, by destroying my little friend, you would have alerted Lord Hades of an intruder in the museum, and will soon be attacked by a horde of undead. The only way you will live, is if you simply told my friend to go away. It this is the case, I congratulate you. You must be on of my siblings to do this. Or a smart child of Ares or Mars. Oh, wait. There __are_ _no smart War god spawn. Anyway, congratulations. You have been chosen by my ghost to inherit the story of my short life, and a few of my personal belongings. I have obviously deemed you worthy, or you wouldn't be reading this. Alright, alright, I'll stop stating the obvious._

_ "I am dead. Once you have finished reading this, a black diamond ring will appear in the envelope. It will guide you to my bedroom. When you near my door, whisper this password into the keyhole: _

Φοίνιξ

_ "Yes. Phoenix. This is the word that will open my door. Inside the room you will find my belongings. On the desk is a alarm clock. Press the snooze button three times, and a key to my lock drawer will pop out. A loud buzz will sound if you try to take anything I didn't want disturbed, and everything I want to remain is magically bound to that room. I'll send you on your way now. Don't forget to leave a chocolate bar on my altar!_

"Nykolas Rubidoux"

Just like Nykolas' letter predicted, the envelope in Nico's hand grew heavier. He looked inside and took out the ring. It was crafted of bone, except for the diamond. It was glowing very faintly. The son of Hades stared at the ring intently and jumped when it made a small exploding sound and morphed into a mini, glowing skeletal squirrel. The black diamond was part of his spine, making it look like he carried a pack. The squirrel chattered and scampered out of the museum and up the stairs. Nico had to sprint to keep up with it as the skeleton raced up the spiral of stone steps leading to the upper floors of the palace. The tiny squirrel stopped at the beginning of a corridor and scolded Nico for not going faster.

"I'm coming," he muttered, and the creature darted down the hall. Nico slid to a stop and stared in disbelief as the bones ran straight through the wall. Cautiously, he stepped forward and touched the wall. The Mist evaporated and revealed an extension to the long hall. The miniature glowing skeletal squirrel was waiting impatiently for him at the third door to the right. Breathing heavily, Nico trotted over. In place of a door was a deep purple curtain, which Nico pushed to the side. Fortunately, children of Hades have incredible nocturnal eyesight. Nico advanced slowly into the dark room, being careful not to walk into the black stone table in the middle of the room. Seven chairs were pushed into the table neatly. Four of the chairs were covered in thick layers of dust, that looked at least a hundred years old. The other three looked more freshly used than the others, probably only a month or two sitting. On the right side of the table was a doorway. The squirrel, which Nico decided to call Tiny the Nutjob rushed in, his what would be pluming tail moving fluidly. Nico followed.

_ Great, _he thought, _another hallway._ But this one was shorter. Three closed doors were to the left, and two to the right. Tiny took him to the first on the left. He squeaked triumphantly and shuddered, falling apart. What was left of Tiny the Nutjob was a small pile of bones and a black diamond. Nico put the remains in his pocket. He tried opening the door with the handle, but-

"Y-Y-YOW!" A bolt of electricity sent his hair standing on end. Quickly jerking his hand away from the doorknob and repeatedly shaking his head. He cursed himself for being overhasty. Nico knelt next to the door and spoke the password, 'phoenix.' The door opened with a click. Stale air hit him as he walked into the room. He looked around. The walls were painted a dark grey, and many pieces of paper were tacked onto them. The foot of the bed was facing the doorway, pushed of to the right. A wooden dresser stood at the foot along with a nightstand. Like Nykolas said there would be, a alarm clock sat on his oak desk on the not-so-far end. Nico pushed it three times and a pen popped up out of it, making a sound like a toaster. He shrugged. Was this the key? Wouldn't hurt to try. On the other hand, considering Nykolas' precautions . . . He put the pen into the keyhole of the lock drawer in Nykolas' desk. The drawer flew open, revealing a leather bound book and a note.

_ "Congrats, again! You didn't die! _

_ "Look around, and see what you like. No taking papers of my wall. Those are solely for observation. Go ahead and open up my drawers and closet. Isn't a ton of clothing there, but you might find something you like, considering our dad. The aviator jacket in the closet __must__ be returned to it's rightful owner. You will know who it is when you meet them. I request you search for that person. As a final warning: if you tell any of those secrets I purposefully told you __not __to tell, I __will__ haunt you. I swear on the River Styx. On my dead body.(Isn't it funny I can do that?) _

_ "Happy hunting."_

Nico picked up the leather bound book and searched the drawer. Most of it was just pens and pencils, and a few erasers. A small silver object caught his eye. He carefully picked the ring up. It was wrought of a single piece of metal, the decorated skull merging with the simple band of silver at the sides. Nico tried it on, and found it fit perfectly. Almost like it was meant for him. He closed the drawer and looked inside the rest of them, finding everything from writing assignments, to articles of clothing, to a bottle of Aspirin. He took the pain killer.

A rack on the wall held up a Stygian Iron hand and a half greatsword. It was cleanly forged without any blemishes on the blade, or the leather wrapped handle. Nico doubted he could even hold up the almost five foot blade, much less wield it. It wasn't traditional Greek at all. Very Medieval. Still, Nico though, this was an awesome sword. He ran his fingers lightly across the flat of it, feeling its icy surface.

He moved on to the dresser. All the pants shorts and jeans were much too long, testifying to how tall Nykolas was. At almost six and a half feet, he towered over almost everybody Nico had ever seen. The tee shirts he found were baggy, but not ridiculously so. He took a few. A black backpack hung on a nail in the wall. He shook it. Deciding it was empty, he stored his loot inside the bag and gave one last look around. Nico's eyes met the closet door. The hinges squeaked as he attempted to pry it open. With a final heave, it screamed and slid on the track, revealing a neat row of jackets and coats, belts, and an assortment of scarves. The only item that was not black or gray was the dark brown aviator coat Nykolas had asked him to return to its rightful owner. Nico took it off the hanger and tried it on, even though it looked big. It compressed to his size in a moment. The wool inside warmed him to the core, and the leather insulated remarkably well.

Another ghostly figure appeared, this time King Minos of Crete, his mentor. The spirit grinned maliciously at Nico.

"It is time. Back to work, my lord. There is much to be done if we are to raise your sister from the dead."


	2. Chapter 1: Percy

We Get Ambushed by a Shadow

Annabeth frowned at the lousy pile of wood we had gathered for our fire. It was a leaning pyramid of finger width twigs that looked like it would burn for a whole three minutes at best. Even Leo would have a hard time keeping it a flame for long. I sighed.

"I guess I'll gather more wood," I grumbled, feeling glum.

"Go ahead," said Annabeth, "I'll try to start it." I nodded, and re-entered the dark woods behind me. "Don't do anything stupid, Seaweed Brain," she warned. I grinned.

" 'Kay, Wise Girl." I rolled my eyes and turned them to the ground. I figured it was no good snapping branches off of trees. It would make a ton of noise, and the wood wouldn't burn as well. Not counting all the smoke.

I wondered why Annabeth had been so jumpy lately. She practically freaked out every time I tripped or a bush rustled. I heard her murmuring something about Chiron warning her about shadows, or something like that. _Her_ being jumpy, was making _me_ nervous. Annabeth usualy was worried for a good reason. Usualy.

Chiron sent us on this little trip to recover a valuable relic from the woods surrounding Camp Half-Blood. He said he could smell the power from it, but it couldn't be pinpointed. We brought enough supplies to last for a few days, so we wouldn't have to travel back and forth from Camp. We brought weapons, but only a little bit of armor.

As I walked deeper into the woods, I began to see better wood for the fire. Within a few minutes, I had a good sized armload. I headed back toward our campsite. I noticed a small rustling in the brush next to me. I turned my head. I caught a glance of something coming toward me, when _WHAM!_ A sharp pain sprouted between my eyes.

"Gamoto!" I yelled, cursing in Ancient Greek. I dropped the firewood on my foot, and hopped around on my uninjured foot, cursing my clumsiness.

"Percy?" Annabeth called. I tried to respond, but nothing came out. The words felt stuck in my chest. An eerie silence had settled over the entire wood. The leaves crunching beneith my feet were soundless. The hairs stood up on the back of my neck, and I took Riptide from my pocket. I spun around and uncapped my sword. A short figure darted noiselessly from behind a tree and charged me, a black sword in hand. At first all I could see of him was his outline. The rest of him was a dark mass, in the shape of a person.

I parried his charge and answered with a sidestroke. The figure blocked with a half foot dagger and jabbed with his Spartan sword. I dodged. Slowly he, scratch that _she,_ began to materialize, starting with cold, calculating amber eyes, that looked completely calm and collected. She had dark brown hair, in a single braid and inch or so farther down than her shoulders. Her jaw was set, and her body matched the style of her Stygian Iron sword: Spartanly tough. Despite her obvious strength, the girl wasn't bulky or slow. She moved quickly, raining down blows with both blades constantly. Neither was she angered or frustrated that I kept parrying her cuts and thrusts. I'll admit It was getting harder and harder to do so.

When the Shadow Girl took off an inch of my hair, I decided I needed more protection. I pushed her back and pressed a button on the watch Tyson made me for my birthday a few years ago. My shield popped out and I held it at the ready. The girl's expression didn't change, except for a slight widening of the eyes. It was then I realized how young she was. She couldn't have been older than fifteen at most. She used my hesitation against me, and she scratched my shoulder with her blade. Young or not, she was going to beat the Hades out of me if I didn't concentrate. The Spartan Shadow Girl set up an over hand toward my neck, but luckily I blocked with my shield. She wasn't giving me any time to think, because as soon as I looked over my shield to strike, the girl kicked me in the stomach. I stumbled, and my opponent sent my shield flying into a nearby tree. My anger rose in my chest, and I felt the familiar tug in my gut as I summoned water from the creek behind me. I sent gallons and gallons of water hurtling toward her, along with all of my anger. A split second defeated my plan, when she disappeared. I gaped and let the water fall to the ground harmlessly. Suddenly, I felt the cold flat of Shadow Girl's blade on my neck, pulling me backward.

_Oh . . . look,_ I mused, _what are those little black dots doing . . ._I mentally kicked myself as I realized I was slipping from consciousness, and it was getting harder to struggle. Shadow Girl turned the sharp end of her knife into my neck, and I grabbed the blade, desperate to stop it. Blood trickled from my hand and my windpipe felt bruised. Desperately, I flung the girl over my shoulder, and blessed all the Judo training sessions Annabeth insisted on taking with me. Apparently my friend the Shadow knew Judo too, because she rolled to her feet as soon as she touched the ground. I took a few steps forward, then was hit by a literal wall of darkness. I blindly swung Riptide, hoping to get a lucky blow. All of the air rushed out of my lungs when the Deadly Shadow landed a kick to my liver/ribcage. I crumpled to my knees in pain, and another gods darned kick hit me on the temple. I was barely managing to stay conscious.

_If I could only get to water . . . _A front kick to the face knocked me onto my back, and the icy tip of Shadow Girl's sword touched between my eyes. I followed the edge of the sword and arm of the girl to her face. Young, bitter, cold. I could see the adrenaline rush fading from her systems, and she relaxed, a triumphant look in her amber eyes. It was hopeless, I knew, so I dropped Anaklusmos and raised my hands over my head in surrender. Then I realized how ticked off I was about how easily I was beat, and I swatted the sword away. It only barely nicked my face, thankfully(but that still hurt like Styx, literally), when it flew off to the side. In an instant Spartan Girl was on me. She went for an arm triangle choke by folding one arm across my neck. When I struggled, she socked me in the ribs. _Oh man, those were my bad ones._ I groaned, and realized I could hear again.

I rolled the girl onto her back and stood up. Within a split second she had me by the wrists, and her combat boots were pressing painfully into the insides of my elbow. I tried backing up. Apparently, she wasn't just the Spartan-Shadow, she was the Spartan-Shadow-Jujitsu- Blackbelt. As soon as I started backing up, she pulled me forward violently, after she placed her feet on my hips, and launched me over her head. Again, the wind got knocked out of me, and I was pretty dazed. My Dark and Deadly friend kneeled on my arms and pinned them to the ground. She drew her dagger warily and held the blade to my Jugular vein. I gulped. It was over.

_Nike, _I prayed, _please, just this once-_

"Percy? Where are you? Percy!" Annabeth shouted. She was close! Spartan Girl picked her sword off the ground and stood, muttering in Greek about terrible luck.

"Annabeth!" I called weakly, "It's a-" The black heel of a combat boot struck me in the cheek, and Annabeth ran onto the scene with her dagger drawn. Her grey eyes locked on me.

"Did you kill him?" she asked quietly. I croaked miserably. Relief, then anger flooder her face as she stared cold daggers at my assailant. Annabeth began to advance. The younger girl melted into a semicircle of shadow surrounding Annabeth. She swiped, but the blade passed through. Suddenly, the Shadow materialized next to Annabeth and swept her feet out from under her. Annabeth latched onto her ankle and up-kicked toward her face. She easily dodged, but Annabeth drove her knife into the foot she captured. Sparta's favorite Shadow stifled a cry and wrenched in pain as the blade was jerked out of her foot. Annabeth's dagger was dripping with blood, onto her hand. The injured girl vanished as Annabeth jumped to her feet. Darkness flooded around her, and the Invisible Assassin bashed the knife out of her hand. Shadow Girl reappeared and held the icy tip of her black dagger under Annabeth's chin.

"Annabeth," I croaked feebly, "It's no use." I could see her resolve hardening even as I talked. "Please." She softened, looking around hopelessly and dropped her blade.

"Sit," commanded the girl, and Annabeth obeyed, watching her tersely. Shadow Girl knelt, and not taking her eyes off of Annabeth, muttered something. Black bars appeared around her like a cage. Annabeth grasped one of the bars. It didn't look solid, but she couldn't pass through it. Curiously, she picked up a stick and tried. It slipped right through the bar like it wasn't there. My brain wasn't too foggy to process the fact, but my head was thumping like a thousand elephants were marching on it. I noticed how pale and wan Shadow Girl looked since the fighting had stopped. She seemed drained and tired. She swayed a little, almost like Nico did when he was summoning the dead . . .

Our friend the Shadow pulled something from a satchel she wore at her side, and I realized it was ambrosia. She devoured the square and took a ring off her finger. It expanded, and turned into a large black backpack. I had seen plenty of magic items and tools, but this was pretty cool. The girl pulled out a first aid kit and untied her bloody combat boot. She bit her lip and gingerly removed the shoe, revealing a drenched sock, dripping red liquid. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she took it of. Shadow Girl's face was ash white. Her foot, stained red, had an opening the size of Annabeth's knife straight through it. My gut wrenched. Annabeth looked green. Our friend groaned. By the angle her foot was at, I could tell it was broken. I noticed the blood on her lip, too. Must have bit it really hard. She opened the medical kit and applied some ointment, which seemed to help some with the bleeding. Hands trembling, the Spartan Shadow she wrapped the foot in at least ten layers of gauze, which she bled through in about half a minute. She ate another ambrosia square and a shot of nectar, bringing a little color back to her face. Now she sported more of a whitewashed wall tone, and less of a half dead corpse's. Carefully she put her mutilated boot back on, and stood up. She limped heavily over to me, and dragged me by the collar of my shirt over to a tree closer to Annabeth and propped me up on it. Again she knelt, expanding the shadow cage over to my area as well. I groaned sleepily. Shadow Girl turned around and limped off into the woods. Annabeth listened for her to be out of earshot. I opened my eyes fully.

"She's good," I said, "I thought she was gonna send me to see Nico's daddy. But you nailed her good." Annabeth snorted.

"That didn't seem to stop her from winning, did it?"

"Well, who says she's won? We might be able to escape. You saw how drained she was." Annabeth shrugged.

"Maybe." She frowned for a second. "She reminds me of someone, but I can't put my finger on who." I remembered the tired, exhausted look.

"Nico?" I suggested. "He gets that same drop dead tired look after shadow traveling. And she had dark, shadowy powers." Annabeth nodded slowly and smiled.

"Possibly. Did she summon the dead during your little skirmish?" I shook my head. "Hmm. She doesn't quite radiate death like Nico. More like she's dark and hard to pinpoint."

"I think she's a daughter of Hades," I replied. "After all, she was-"

"Silent as death?" Annabeth raised an eyebrow. I smiled, and winced as I realized, maybe now wasn't a good time to smile with a razor cut on my cheek.

"You could say that."

"The only thing is," She furrowed her eyebrows thoughtfully, in that cute way I love when she thinks, "if she is Nico's sister, why di-" she stopped abruptly. "Play dead. She's coming." _Play dead?_ I thought incredulously, but looked sickly and unconscious. Shadow Girl appeared as a dark mass that shifted into human form again, leaning to one side and groaning softly. She had an armful of wood(presumably from our old campsite) and mine and Annabeth's backpacks. She set them on the ground and looked through them. Taking out Annabeth's lighter, she formed a circle of rocks and stacked the wood in a teepee like shape. Shadow Girl gathered a handful of dried leaves into the makeshift fire pit and lit them. As the flames began to catch the larger pieces of wood, she glanced at the sun and squinted.

"Just in time," she murmured. Annabeth voiced my thoughts

" 'Just in time' for what?" Said it with a superior attitude, that I wouldn't have dared use with this dangerous demigod. A flash of annoyance crossed Shadow Girl's face as she answered.

"Sundown. I got the fire set just in time for sundown." It was true. The sun was beginning to inch its way down the sky hidden by the woods surrounding Camp Half-Blood. "You, of all people should know that, considering your parentage," she retorted, a little hotly. Annabeth shut up. I was surprised. This girl knew how to end the conversation then and there by hitting where it hurts.

I moaned, to have an excuse to 'wake up'. Unfortunately, I didn't have to pretend to be in pain. My head was still in its elephant-stomping state, and the cuts between my eyes and on my hand hurt like Hades himself had poisoned me. It was only his daughter, though. Shadow Girl must have guessed I was in pain, and she brought out her first-aid kit. She opened a kanteen and took my injured hand in hers. I sighed in relief as cool water washed over it, counteracting the cold, yet burning sensation from the Stygian Iron. After a few minutes of this treatment, the wound had healed completely.

"Thanks," I muttered gratefully. Spartan Shadow Girl grunted and dabbed some ointment on the cut between the eyes, and on my shoulder. She moved on to the bruise on my head. She placed her freezing hand on it, and some of the pain left it. A touch of ointment was applied, and I winced at its touch. The girl recoiled, and I motioned for her to go on. Instead she capped the ointment and kanteen.

"That should do for now." She groaned and got to her feet, looking pained, but satisfied. "I'll give you some privacy." She unraveled a dark grey sleeping bag and lay down on top of it.

I scooted closer to Annabeth. "Whaddya think?" I asked.

"Hades' spawn here doesn't seem completely off her rocker like his kids are notorious for. More like dark, and brooding."

"And quite the smart aleck," I snickered. Annabeth elbowed me, but laughed a little uncomfortably. She glanced over at Shadow Girl, who was sleeping soundly.

"She's on the older side for a demigod, but to be alone, obviously for a long time . . . she's so young." I nodded grimly. Turning to look at me, she said, "I wonder why she's wandering around here." Shrug.

"Maybe for the same reason Nico does himself sometimes. He wants to get away from the Underworld. Persephone is a pain, and Hades doesn't exactly have a sparkling personality.

Annabeth snorted. "No he doesn't." The comforting sounds of the night and the cheerful crackle of the fire was pleasant. I wrapped my arm around Annabeth and rested my cheek on her head, breathing in the sweet smell of her hair. She placed her hand on my knee. "I don't think Nico even knows she exists."

"I agree," I affirmed. "It seems like he would have told Hazel, who is a bit more open and readable than he is. She probably would have mentioned a sister at some point." Annabeth nodded.

"Yeah. Probably."

"The domes!" Shadow Girl announced, making us jump. "I'm looking for the domes." She sounded a little less sure of herself the third time she spoke. "Not . . . the domes . . ."

I gave Annabeth a look that said _what the heck?_ We shrugged in unison.

" 'The domes?' Does that ring a bell?" I asked shook her head.

"I don't remember anything about domes, only spheres. I think she's just having wacky dreams. What demigod doesn't?" I chuckled ruefully. It was true. Once I had a dream I was under water, swimming, when Hermes popped out of nowhere and offered me a cup of tea. If that wasn't weird enough, Tyson appeared and kept rambling about mud puddles. Then an _empousa _tried to convince me that Gaea was a turtle, who needed a turtle fence. Like I said. _Weird_ dreams.

Annabeth shivered and rubbed her arms despite the fire. It must have been the effect of our prison. I took off my jacket and draped it over her shoulders. She kissed my cheek and I pulled her closer, tugging the hood of the sweater over her head, which rested on my chest. Sighing contentedly, Annabeth burrowed into the jacket.

We stayed that way for half an hour or so until Shadow Girl started to stir. She rubbed her eyes groggily and groaned, as she slid out of her sleeping bag. Her sock was soaking wet with blood. I mean, dripping wet. It made me feel kind of bad for the girl, but then my headache reminded me how badly she kicked my sorry butt. She went through the painful process of treating the wound and re wrapping it again. A few times, the cage spell almost completely vanished, and the bars looked less substantial the whole time. Her face was still paper white. She nibbled some ambrosia and sipped nectar, but even after that she looked dangerously faint. Shadow Girl finished the godly food, and pulled out a vial of what looked like beer. I gave Annabeth a look. Shadow Girl uncorked the bottle and fumes spread out toward us. The smell wasn't like alcohol at all. It was sweet and tangy, kind of like a soda's smell. Our captor downed the drink and smiled a little, and she looked the slightest bit better. She looked at us.

"You two hungry?" she asked. I looked at Annabeth, who nodded.

"We can eat."

The food was pretty darned good for roughing it. It was hot clam chowder in bread bowl, somehow stored safely in Shadow Girl's ring/bag. She finished off the last of her bread.

"I take it you've figured out I'm a demigod," she guessed, choosing her words carefully. Annabeth and I nodded. "And that I'm the daughter of Hades." We nodded again. "Well, I think I'm sorry I ambushed slash attacked you. I tend to be paranoid." Shadow Girl poked at the fire with a stick.

"You _think_ _you're sorry?"_ Annabeth asked incredulously. Shadow Girl laughed. Her face was a huge contrast to that of when she was trying to kill you. She seemed genuinely amused.

"So. . . are you going to let us out?" I requested, silently praying and begging for the answer to be yes. Sparta's favorite Shadow thought for a few moments.

"If you swear on the River Styx you won't attack me." Annabeth and I nodded.

"As long as you don't try to kill us."

"Good," the daughter of Hades looked at us suspiciously. "No fingers crossed, no eyes, no toes?" she asked. I tried really, _really_ hard not to laugh.

"I swear," both Annabeth and I said. Thunder rolled in the distance, even though there wasn't a cloud in sight. Shadow Girl relaxed and released the cage spell.

"So," she said casually, tossing the stick she was playing with into the fire. "who are you?"

"I'm Percy Jackson, Son of Poseidon."

"And I'm Annabeth Chase, Daughter of Athena." Shadow Girl pointed to us.

"I've seen you both before, in the Underworld. That was a good trick you pulled with Cerberus. Father ranted and ranted about how he would pulverize you if he could." She chuckled. "His whole demeanor gets ten shades darker whenever I mention the incident." I thought back, but I didn't remember seeing her in the Underworld, or anywhere else. . . Annabeth interrupted my thoughts by kissing my cheek.

"That was only about a week after we met," she recalled. I smiled fondly at the memory of Annabeth back then. Just as pretty, but a whole lot younger.

"I remember," I told her. "We were twelve." She kissed me again. I noticed Shadow Girl was watching the interaction, and I felt embarrassed when she realized she was staring and blushed.

"I'm Phoenix Rubidoux, daughter of Hades," she said, obviously trying to move on from the awkward moment. She extended her half gloved hand, and Annabeth and I shook it.

"Rubidoux. . ." Annabeth wondered aloud, "isn't that the name of a city in California?" Phoenix nodded.

"It's miserable having my first and last names being also the names of cities." I laughed.

"I'll bet."

"Fortunately," she continued, " 'Phoenix' with an 'i' isn't how my name is spelt. Hades, my dad, replaced it with a 'y', as a play on words. He says I'm the symbol of his power rising from the ashes, thus the 'nyx' part." _Well thats slightly scary_, I thought. I mouthed to Annabeth, _ask about Nico. _She nodded and inhaled.

"So," starting nonchalantly, "do you know any other Hades' kids?" Phoenyx flinched and stared into the fire for awhile.

"No," she said quickly. "They're all dead." I glanced at Annabeth.

"Actually, that's not true." Phoenyx gave a rough laugh.

"Yeah. Right. Like I can't tell. I can feel it." She looked miserable talking about it, but something told me she wanted very badly to believe it.

"You do," Annabeth insisted, "We've met them. You have a brother and a sister." Phoenyx shook her head sadly.

"Hades would have told me if I had other siblings. And Nyk-" she faltered at the name.

"Who's Nyk?" I asked. Phoenyx stared into her palm intently.

"He's gone," she muttered softly. Annabeth jumped on it.

"But your other siblings aren't. They didn't even know you exist. Come with us tomorrow and meet one." Phoenyx looked skeptical.

"I'll believe it when I see it, Annabeth."


	3. Chapter 2: Percy

Shadow Girl meets the Ghost King

I woke up next to Annabeth to the sound of singing. This got me confused. Here I was, in my sleeping bag, in the middle of the woods, and somebody was serenading the trees. I had no clue who it was. The voice was clear and easy, not sounding forced. It didn't sound like a nymph. . . I jolted up when I heard footsteps in the nearby area. Annabeth jumped too, but then realization dawned on us. We forgot Phoenyx. She stepped into view carrying a bow, a quiver slung on her back, and two rabbits hanging from her belt. I noticed she still was limping very heavily.

"Morning," she greeted us.

"Morning," I replied. Annabeth yawned.

"What time is it?" Shadow Girl looked at the sky and squinted in its light.

"About ten till eight. We should get moving fairly soon." Phoenyx unslung her bow and quiver from off her back and unhooked the game she caught. She brought out a hunting knife from her satchel, and started gutting the rabbits. I was really grossed out. Phoenyx went through the whole process of separating the meat, skinning it and preparing it for food like she'd done it a thousand times. She probably had. Once she finished cooking them in a large black cauldron filled with water from the creek, I decided to start getting packed up. I stood up and nearly passed out when all the blood rushed from my head. Luckily, Annabeth caught me. The blinding headache was back.

"Sit down, Percy," Annabeth ordered gently. I leaned against a tree and slid down.

"I think it's my head," I groaned. Phoenyx opened her satchel and handed Annabeth something.

"Here," she said, "Eat some ambrosia." I nodded gratefully and the pain subsided within a few minutes. After the elephants stopped stomping on my head, we set out for Camp Half-Blood. Phoenyx had stowed the rabbit stew she made inside her ring/bag.

"It was a gift from Hermes," she told us. "He's one of the few gods that doesn't freaking hate my guts."

"What gods want you dead? Why?" Annabeth inquired.

"Zeus, Poseidon, Athena, Artemis, and Hera, Aphrodite thinks I'm no fun, Demeter, Persephone, Nike, and the ever annoying Janus. They call me 'Hades' Pet.' I'm too powerful for their comfort. Apollo, Hephaestus, Nemesis, Hestia and Hypnos think I'm okay, and Hermes, Iris, Hecate and Ares actually really like me. Especially Hermes and Hecate."

"Wow," I muttered. "Quite the list you've got going there. What about Dionysus? What does he think of you? He certainly doesn't like me." Phoenyx limped on for a few seconds before answering, watching the ground.

"I don't know," she admitted. "I think he feels sorry for me." Mr. D being _sorry for anyone?_ I didn't think that it was possible for him to pity anybody. At all. On the other hand, I didn't know what Phoenyx had been through. While we were walking(or in her case limping) I finally got a good look at her. Phoenyx wore a gray tee shirt under a darker pullover hoodie. Her weapons were held up by a woven black belt, the free end hanging loose of a loop and dangling like a martial arts belt. Black combat boots were half hidden by slightly faded bootcut black jeans. The only jewelry she wore were her ring that Hermes gave her, and black stud earrings, that at a closer look, showed the symbol of Hades.

Black fingerless gloves were on both hands, but the leather of them only came barely past the first knuckle. Phoenyx's dark brown hair was pulled back into a neat braid down her back. Her face looked blank, as did her eyes, except for a sliver of sadness that slipped through her practiced barrier. Annabeth elbowed me before I realized I was staring. Heat rose to my cheeks and I shook my thoughts clear. We trod on in comfortable silence, except for the sounds of the birds in the trees.

"What are my brother and sister like?" Phoenyx asked as we came to a halt, to allow her to rebandage her injury. I slid my backpack onto the ground and unscrewed the lid to my kanteen. I took a gulp.

"Your sister Hazel is actually a daughter of Pluto. She's a centurion at Camp Jupiter. Really nice. Helped us on a quest to save the world." Annabeth nodded. Phoenyx winced as she poured nectar into the nasty, bloody cut in her foot. Then she relaxed.

"And my brother?" I shifted uncomfortably and scratched my neck, looking to Annabeth for support. She gestured for me to go on.

"You're brother. . . he's. . . different. Kind of dark and. . .moody. Very touchy. He's been through a lot. Lost his sister when he was ten, and . . .never really got over it." My speech was broken up as I tried to find the appropriate words. You never know when Nico could be listening. Phoenyx said nothing for a few moments.

"Was she a daughter of Hades? My brother's sister?" Annabeth nodded. The former's face turned unreadable. Suddenly, she face-palmed.

"I feel stupid," Phoenyx laughed. "I could easily transport us there using my _umbrakinesis_."

"Um-" I said, not recognizing the word.

"Is that the best idea, considering your foot?" asked Annabeth with concern. Phoenyx shrugged.

"What's-" I was interrupted. Again. Sigh.

"You don't give me enough credit, if I do say so myself. I've been around the world in one try without even passing out."

"In broad daylight?"

"If you don't mind-"

"No problem."

"For the gods' sakes, what in Hades is '_umbra-ha-blah-blah-blah'_?" I yelled, finally heard. Phoenyx and Annabeth looked at me like I was an idiot or something.

Annabeth was kind enough to explain. "Shadow traveling."

"Oh." Now I _did_ feel stupid.

"So how far away is the camp?" asked Phoenyx.

"About five miles," replied Annabeth. Phoenyx gave her signature crooked smile.

"Aw, come on! That's nothing! Here, take my hand." We melted into the shadows.

* * *

><p>"Holy Hairy Hephaestus!" Leo yelped, when we materialized. He dropped his hammer onto his foot and hopped around the workshop on one foot like a nervous frog. The rest of Cabin 9 stopped their projects to see what the commotion was about. Jake Mason lifted his mask and wiped his forehead on his arm, leaving a trail of sawdust on his face.<p>

"New recruit?" he asked.

"Um, yeah, I guess," I replied, wondering how long Phoenyx would stay. "Phoenyx, this is the Hephaestus Cabin."

She shook Leo's grimy hand and inclined her head. "Phoenyx, daughter of Hades."

"Arizona?" he asked, a funny look in his eyes. Phoenyx frowned.

"What?"

"Phoenix, Arizona?"

"No. Rubidoux. What are you talking about?" she gestured helplessly.

"You know, like-" Annabeth nudged Leo with her elbow.

"Do you know where Chiron is?" she inquired, changing the subject. Leo looked down at his toolbelt and pulled out a watch.

"Nah. But there's a meeting in the Big House in ten minutes." Annabeth nodded.

"Thanks." We followed Annabeth through the camp. We passed the armory, where a few Ares kids were picking out weapons and shields. Campers stopped their work(or in Aphrodite's case makeup adjustments) to stare at Phoenyx. I could tell she tried to ignore them, but I saw blood rising to her cheeks.

"You little stinker, get back here!" Chuck, Mellie's and Coach Hedge's kid, ran out of the Big house and bleated gleefully as he skipped away towards the arena. Hedge came running out after him.

When we entered the rec room, the meeting was about to start. Travis and Connor were playing with lighters next to Clovis from the Hypnos Cabin's face, and Butch was drawing a rainbow on the wall with sharpies. Lou Ellen had an illusion of a cake floating above Chiron. Chiron was in his wheel chair looking a bit dazed.

"Attention, everybody, we will start of this meeting with a rule refresher. First off, there will be absolutely no TP-ing the Big House. No pillow fights after lights out, and no going into a different cabin without the counsellor's permission." Clarisse scoffed.

"Aw, come on! No raids?" she asked, and Chiron shook his head. "Really? Who here doesn't like raids?" Everybody but Clarisse and the Stolls raised their hands. Clarisse sulked. Chiron sighted, and looked at me.

"Ah. So I see we have a new camper."

"Possibly," I replied. Phoenyx came forward.

"Phoenyx Rubidoux, daughter of Hades," she announced. A murmur ran through the senior counsellors, with references like 'death boy has a sister', and, 'great, another creep.'

Chiron covered up for the impolite gestures by continuing.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, _I'm sure._" he eyed everybody in the room. "Phoenyx, this Lou Ellen from Hecate, Will from Apollo, Butch from Iris, Clovis from Hypnos, Clarisse from Ares, Piper from Aphrodite, Travis and Connor Stoll from Hermes, Leo from Hephaestus, Mitch from Nike, Kevin from Tyche, and of course Annabeth and Percy." Nervous nods were directed at Phoenyx. Leo cleared his throat.

"Where's McDeath?" The Stolls snickered.

"Who?" asked Will, frowning.

"You know, Death Boy? The Zombie? _Di Angelo?"_

"Oh. Oh, yeah, where is-" Nico appeared in the doorway.

"Sorry I'm-" he muttered. Nico froze. Phoenyx turned chalk white. Her eyes were wide with alarm

"Nykolas?" she said softly. "What-the-Hades?!" Chairs toppled as she backed up. Phoenyx shut her eyes. "No. No. You're dead. Nyk is dead! Styx, this can't be right." I noticed her breathing was shallow, and she was shaking. Nico looked aghast.

"I'm not Nykolas," he whispered hoarsely. Phoenyx shook her head violently.

"No," she gulped, "You can't be him. He's dead. I've felt it. I've talked to his ghost. He's dead!" She started to regain control of herself as she stared at her long lost brother. Her eyebrows furrowed.

"No. No, it can't be," Phoenyx muttered, stepping closer to him. The daughter of the lord of the Dead ran her hands down the side of Nico's aviator jacket. She finally looked him in the eye.

"Where. . . did. . .did Hades give this to you?" Phoenyx managed and a tear rolled down her cheek. Nico shook his head.

"I talked with Nyk's ghost soon after he died. He wanted me to make sure it got to its rightful owner. I guess he meant you." Nico carefully took the jacket off and held the inside of the wooly collar out. In black permanent marker were the initials N. E. R. Phoenyx started crying.

"Nykolas Emidias Rubidoux." The younger owner of the jacket held it out to her. She smiled sadly and shook her head.

"You are the rightful owner. Nyk would want you to have it. It will never wear out or age." Phoenyx gave a half smile. "Besides," she said, "It wouldn't look right on anyone else. You look too much like him." She reached into her back pocket and took out one of those photo booth pictures you see at theme parks and near tourist sights.

Nyk Rubidoux looked like an older, way taller version of Nico di Angelo, his unknown younger brother. They wore the same aviator jacket, for one thing, but the similarities didn't end there. Nyk's face looked more mature and longer than Nico's, but anyone would mistake them. Compared to Nico, Nyk's hair was slightly shorter, curlier and lighter, but the just-rolled-out-of-bed look was the same. While Nico tended to remain stonefaced, Nyk looked rebellious and very much alive. A casual smirk played on his lips. His eyes were the same shape and color of Phoenyx's, but a little wider. Nyk was devilishly handsome. Altogether, in that picture, the Robidoux's looked happy sitting next to each other.

In the next few pictures, Phoenyx and Nyk were acting crazy, and generally having a good time. In one, Nyk was doing a handstand with his tongue sticking out, his sister doubled over in laughter. Another showed Phoenyx being held like a baby with both arms in the air.

The fifth photo showed Nyk and Phoenyx looking grim. Dark hair fell over his eyes just like Nico's did. Phoenyx looked bitter, a miserable half smile on her face.

The very last photo on the strip was torn in two. The brother and sister embraced contently. On Nyk's shoulder rested his little sister's head, and his cheek on her crown. Both looked like they could stay there forever. It seemed like just the sort of thing Hazel would do with Nico. The rip in the paper separated the Rubidoux siblings. Phoenyx looked sadly at the pictures, before meeting Nico's eyes.

"That was a week or so before he died," she told him.

"How old was he?" Chiron's eyes were closed in despondency. Clovis was the only person in the room who remained unaffected by the scene, and that was because he was asleep. As usual. Phoenyx struggled to remember.

"When he died? Three years ago? He was. . . two months away from turning sixteen. I was twelve.

"So you're fifteen?" I asked. Phoenyx nodded.

"In a week." She wiped her eyes and looked at Nico with a rueful half smile. "Now, how about that. I don't even know my own brother's name."

"Nico di Angelo," he said hoarsely.

"Phoenyx Rubidoux," she answered. "Are you Italian?" Nico sniffled and nodded.

"And you're French?" Phoenyx looked confused, then caught on. She grinned a little.

"The slightest bit. Mostly English, though." Leo still didn't get it. He stepped forward.

"Time out, people. How did di Angelo know the chic is French? Is it some Underworldly connection or something?" Valdez asked.

"Or something," Phoenyx corrected. "Rubidoux is a French surname." Realization dawned on Leo, and he went back to messing with the project in his hands. Clarisse quickly got out of her seat and ran out the door muttering something like, _if I don't destroy something soon, I'll explode. _It was probably better that she left. Chiron sighed and looked around.

"Well, the meeting is over, I suppose." Almost everybody left, except Nico, Phoenyx and Chiron, as well as me and Annabeth. Nico and Phoenyx sat in silence, just looking at each other. Then Phoenyx asked,

"What about our sister? Hazel?"

"Right now she's at Camp Jupiter, in California," Annabeth explained.

"We can arrange a meeting there in a week or so," Chiron assured. Phoenyx shifted uncomfortably.

"I've had. . .bad experiences with Camp Jupiter and New Rome," she said carefully. I frowned. She mentioned having problems with the gods. . .

"We'll sort it out," I promised. Phoenyx didn't look convinced, but nodded. She sighed and stood up, almost immediately turning a sickly shade of gray, past white. Nico caught her before the rest of us could even stand up.

Phoenyx moaned, "My foot. . . blood loss. . ." she passed out. I carefully lifted her off the ground. Nico caught my arm as I turned.

"Actually, if you don't mind, I think _I'll _take her to the infirmary." His look told me he didn't care if I minded or not. He would carry his sister to the infirmary. The guy held her in his arms, her head lolling against his shoulder. I'll have to admit, I was a little surprised Nico could carry her weight. Nico was what most people would call. . .well, scrawny. But I guess he was stronger than he looked. Carrying Phoenyx was like lugging 150 pounds of solid muscle and bone. She probably outweighed him by thirty pounds or so. Chiron followed them out.

Annabeth had a guilty look on her face. I took her hand.

"Annabeth," I told her, "it wasn't your fault. You acted in self defence." She shook her head.

"It was a dramatic course of action, considering I used it against another demigod, Percy."

"Phoenyx at the time was a threat. You didn't know what her intentions were. She could have killed you. And me." She was about to argue, but I stopped her with a kiss. Her resolve melted, and she drew in a shaky breath and sighed.

"I don't know. I still can't help feeling bad about it." I took her hand.

"I know. Don't worry, Wise Girl. I forgive you." Annabeth's stormy gray eyes were incredulous.

"Forgive _me?_ _You _were the one who walked into a trap and almost got killed, Seaweed Brain. You should thank me for saving your scaly hide!"

"Whatever. And . . . How did you find out about my scales?" We laughed.

"You are helpless." I shrugged.

"Maybe, but that's okay as long as I've got you."

Chiron returned looking grim. "It must have taken strong magic to conceal her, considering her strength."

"How is she doing?" Annabeth asked worriedly. Chiron looked up.

"Phoenyx will live. Its a painful, very messy wound, and she lost a lot of blood, but she will live. Nico is still with her." I stood up.

"I'm going for a swim in the lake. I guess capture the flag is a no?" Chiron shook his head.

"Lunch is in an hour and a half." I nodded, and followed Annabeth outside. "Oh, I almost forgot," the centaur called, "Jason is coming tomorrow." I brightened.

"Great. Thanks."


	4. Chapter 3: Phoenyx

**Phoenyx**

The first thing I remember after passing out was pain. The searing, hot pain of a Celestial Bronze wound. In other words, avoid at all costs. It doesn't feel good.

I moaned softly. The Apollo senior counselor . . . Will, I think his name was, was telling me he would have to take my boot off. His voice sounded distant and quiet. Another healer injected what I presumed to be nectar or morphine into my arm. The pain lessened some. Even still, I'm almost sure I screamed when they removed my boot. It was worse yet when my sock got cut off. Styx, I liked those socks.

The slice (I guess you would call it) in my foot was pouring blood onto Will's hands. It was pretty gross. Nico, next to me, was holding my hand and muttering soothingly. Even though his face was green. Will Solace poured nectar into the wound. It felt beautiful. Even better than a fire on an icy day. Somebody, presumably Nico, held and ambrosia square up to my mouth, and I nibbled on it. It tasted like a ripe, juicy and crisp pomegranate, just like the ones Nyk and I used to eat in the Underworld. Hades, our dad, owns all the biggest pomegranate farms upstairs, and they are the absolute best.

Anyway, I passed out again. I don't know for how long. This time, when I woke up my mind was fuzzy from the drugs and the endorphins leaving my body. Nico was singing in what sounded like Spanish, alternating with English. I caught the whole lyrics of the song, and the translation from my brother.

_Close your eyes; I know what you see,_

_The darkness is high, and you're in ten feet deep._

_But we've survived more terrible monsters than sleep,_

_And you know I will be here to tell you to breathe._

_Tu sei il mio soldatino _(You're my little soldier),

_La ragione per cui vivo _(The reason I live).

_Non ti scordar di me _(Don't forget me),

_Io veglierò su di te _(I'm watching over you).

_Stumbling lost; the last choice of all that you meet,_

_It's the cost of ruling those 'neath your feet._

_Paths you've crossed, and trust you're trying to keep,_

_You're exhausted, listening for a voice that can't speak._

_Tu sei il mio soldatino _(You're my little soldier),

_La ragione ho vissuto _(The reason I lived).

_Non ti scordar di me _(Don't forget me),

_Io veglierò su di te _(I'm watching over you)_._

_So you run; through shadows you roam,_

_Seams undone by the love you thought you could own._

_But he's just one of many that you might call home,_

_And maybe someday, the bitter will fade from your bones._

_Fade from your bones._

_Eri il mio soldatino _(You were my little soldier),

_Ora un principe oscuro _(Now, a dark prince).

_Ma anche per te, c'è una luce _(But even for you, there is a light),

_Che ad un'altra vita ti conduce _(That leads you to another life)

I opened my eyes. Nico had tears on his cheeks, and his eyes were red. The moonlight from the window shone on his face, making him look ghostly and pale.

"Hey, brother," I said weakly. He sniffled and wiped his eyes hurriedly.

"Sorry, allergies," he apologized/lied. I didn't care. I don't like to be caught crying either.

"That song," I cleared my throat. "Who wrote it?"

"Hazel did. I helped with the Italian, but the credit goes to her. Will Solace put it to music." I looked into Nico's haggard face. He was tired. Really tired, I could tell, by the dark circles under his eyes.

"How long was I out?" I asked him, thinking Nico had probably been here with me the whole time. He yawned.

"Oh, I think two days? Three?" My jaw dropped. A ghost of a smile crossed Nico's lips.

"Holy Hermes! Really? No way!"

"Just kidding. Only fifteen hours."

"Still," I muttered, "I haven't slept that way since . . . 1902 or so."

"Wait . . . _1902? When were you born?" _

I smirked. "1897. Hades put me in storage for about one hundred years."

"Join the Oldies Club. I was born in the '30's." It was my turn to be confused. "Me and Bianca were in the Lotus Casino." I grimaced.

"I hate that place. The lights hurt my eyes."

"Same. And Hazel was dead for a long time."

"Who's Bianca? Was. . . was she your sister? Our sister?" Nico nodded sadly.

"She died four years ago." What was it with Hades' kids and dying? It's rather ironic, in a terribly sad way. My stomach grumbled.

"Man, I'm starving. Is there any grub around here? Or do normal demigods never eat?" Nico thought for a second.

"Maybe. I'll go ask Argus."

"_The _Argus_?" _Nico nodded.

"Yep. That's him. Just a second."

"Thanks." My brother got up and walked out of the infirmary. The room was lit by a fire on the hearth, and a few scattered candles. Shadows danced on the walls and the wood crackled cheerfully. It was comforting. This was the first time I'd slept in a real bed since. . .I couldn't even remember anymore. It must have been over a month. Its hard to find a place to sleep when you're a wanted figure. Yeah. I kinda burnt down a few buildings, and the public thinks I'm a pyromaniac. I don't advise starting fires in deserted warehouses.

I sat up against the propped up pillows and noticed my foot didn't hurt. I could tell the bandages on it were dry. I wiggled it experimentally. There was only the slightest pain in the center.

Nico returned holding a platter with two glasses of milk and some crackers. Oh, man. I loved milk. Milk was one of those things that wasn't available while on the run, and I missed it. I devoured my portion gladly. The food settled in my black-hole-of-a-stomach enough to make me feel sleepy.

"You should get some sleep," I told Nico. He shook his head.

"It's . . . okay." His eyelids were drooping as he muttered. I laughed.

"No, seriously. I'll be fine. You're falling asleep as we speak. Go to bed, Nico." He mumbled and laid down on the cot next to me, and he conked out before he even hit the pillow. Nico's hair spread out on the pillow like a carpet of jet black curls reminded me of Nyk. I felt a pang in my chest. Without realizing it, I summoned his ghost. Hades, instead of having my brother completely sealed off from me forever, let Nykolas come and go from Elysium to watch over me. It was nice, but sometimes it made things worse. My brother was still dead, and even if I could talk to him . . . it just wasn't the same. Nyk couldn't offer any physical comfort.

His ghost appeared next to my cot. He sat down on my bed(on my legs) and smiled nostalgically.

"Hey." He looked the same way he had the day he died: black converse, black jeans, dark grey vest, black scarf and overcoat. His norm.

"Nykolas."

"I've missed haven't talked much lately." Nyk brushed the imaginary dust off his overcoat.

"I've been a little occupied," I replied, studying his transparent expression.

"So I've observed. You've been impossible to reach, with your mind all over the place. I tried contacting you at least three times in the past week." Nyk motioned with his head toward the sleeping form of Nico. "He's a good kid. Rough around the edges, a little sensitive, heart broken . . . but he's a good chap." I laughed softly.

"You do realize he's only a year younger than you were?" Nyk brought his feet up off the ground and sat cross legged on my cot.

"Time is difficult when you're dead," he answered. "How long has it been since . . .you know . . . ?"

"Three years," I recalled. "The accident was three years ago." He dropped his gaze, looking melancholy. I missed his deep, rebellious eyes. The gleam he got in them when he had an idea. The feel of his smooth curls under my fingers, his warm hugs, even his boiling outrage at our dad. That was all gone.

"I miss you," I told him softly, vaguely aware of tears welling in my eyes. Nyk looked back up at me gravely.

"I love you, Phoenyx. Dead or no, I will always love you." His ghostly figure smiled at me fondly.

"I love you too, Nyk." He looked like he wanted to say something, and almost decided against it.

"Dad said there might be a way we can still be closer, even more than we are with the empathy link."

"How?" I queried excitedly, my heart rate increasing. Nyk shifted and scratched his collar bone.

"Well– it involves human sacrifice . . ." My hope failed.

"Oh. Screw _that."_ Nykolas gave me a sad half smile.

"Sorry, Phyx," he said, using my old nickname, "At least we still get to talk sometimes." I nodded. Nyk looked at his watch. "Its half past three. I should let you get some shut-eye."

"Yeah. I guess." He raised an eyebrow, in that funny way he did when he was feeling playful. (The one that you heard girls giggling in the background after. I'll admit: my brother was devilishly handsome.)

"You guess? Don't guess, Phyx. Just _know." _I had to smile.

"Bye, Nyk."

"Seeya, 'Een," using another nickname. "Remember," he told me, his image flickering, "I'm watching over you. I'll always be there. I promise." My brother vanished, and I was left alone with his younger lookalike, who was sleeping soundly only a few feet away. The song Nico sang earlier echoed in my head as I closed my eyes. I drifted into the vast ocean of slumber with the picture of Nyk's smile in my mind, and Nico singing softly.


	5. Chapter 4: Nico

**AN: Thanks for the positive feedback! :) It's really encouraging.**

* * *

><p>Windpipe Chokes are not Fun<p>

I was drop dead tired (ha ha) when Will Solace dragged me out of the infirmary by my hair. Phoenyx had looked wide awake and alert, last I had seen._ She_ had slept for twenty hours. _I_ hadn't. I'm not a morning person anyway. Solace practically had to carry me back to Cabin 13, where I decided to take a shower. The warm water running down my neck helped me clear my head and think. Or not think, if I needed it.

It had been a strange three days. Two nights prior, I had experienced a really strange dream. Not like the kind where your spirit takes a road trip, but like I was witnessing somebody's story. Phoenyx's, to be exact. The early days, in the late eighteen hundreds. I didn't know what to think. I guess I should have told Phoenyx about it, but things went kind of quickly.

After rinsing the shampoo and conditioner from my black mop, I quickly threw on my usualy outfit: a fresh black tee shirt, black jeans, and Nyk's old aviator jacket. Wearing made me feel kind of guilty, because it used to belong to a brother I never knew while he was alive. Phoenyx had wanted me to keep it, but I couldn't shake the feeling.

As normal, I didn't bother to brush my hair, or tie my shoes before I walked out the Hades Cabin door. I stood for a second, reflecting on how freakin' bright it was while my eyes adjusted to the morning light in my face. The ten minute bell for breakfast rang from the Big House. I marched into the infirmary to check on Phoenyx. She wore fresh clothes, and was sitting on her cot with her arms folded casually. For the most part, I approved of her apparel choices. Black jeans(like me), dark purple tee shirt, and grey pullover hoodie. Dark, but not black. Oh well. I guess not all children of Hades have the same taste in threads.

Phoenyx nodded somberly to me. "Nico." I couldn't help thinking how she was treating me almost like a business partner, not a brother.

"Hey." Will Solace approached and smiled at both of us.

"How's your foot?" he asked Phoenyx.

"Mostly better. There is still a small cut on top."

"Let's take a look at it," Solace told her, gently unwrapping the gauze. The only sign of injury left was a small cut that exposed the tendon. I shuddered. Death I could do, but I wasn't a fan of exposed flesh. Phoenyx flexed her foot.

"It only hurts a little. The tendon mended itself during the night." She turned to Will, who looked impressed. "Should I try walking?" He shrugged.

"If you think you're up to it." Phoenyx swung her legs off the cot and onto the linoleum floor. I took a step closer to catch her if she stumbled. She seemed to be walking fine, without any limp. Will approved. "You're good to go, then." He smiled at Phoenyx, who grinned affably back and shook his hand.

"I'm obliged," she thanked. Solace shrugged.

"I need a bit of excitement around here every once and a while. It was nothing." Phoenyx raised an eyebrow.

"Really? In that case, 'nothing' hurts like you wouldn't believe." The both of them laughed, and I just smiled. The muscles in my face protested. I made a mental note to practice smiling on a regular basis. Will got a funny look on his face as we walked away. Like disappointment. Or confusion. Maybe my smile looked too much like a grimace. Either way, I needed to work on it.

I took Phoenyx to the dining pavilions where we sat down at the Hades table. I hadn't had company here sense Hazel left for Camp Jupiter a month ago. Things had just started to settle down from the war with Gaea. Everybody was ecstatic when Leo came back with Calypso, but besides that, things were pretty much normal. Well, as normal as Camp Half-Blood can get. I missed Hazel. And the rest of the gang too, I realized. Reyna, and Frank and Jason. The rest of the Seven were here on Long Island. After the Romans left, we had gotten some new campers: a daughter of Dionysus, Maddie Flynn, a legacy of Nemesis, Fortuna and Iris named Lucky Pane, and even a daughter of Poseidon, Collette Johnson. Percy was still really new to the whole 'Big Brother' thing, and was really protective. There wasn't any true need for it. Collette(or Cole, as she liked to be called), was a headstrong, independent girl almost perfectly capable of looking out for herself. And she really enjoyed messing with Percy.

Lucky was one of the only people who didn't seem happy to be at Camp Half-Blood. He looked sour and vindictive most of the time, and he called everyone 'Angel Face'(which I find offensive) or 'Cupcake'. In other words, people avoided him.

Phoenyx had wolfed down her food in a matter of thirty seconds flat. I'm serious. Her plate was clean, and she went back for second and third servings. I'm the son of Hades, and I still thought that was a little scary how fast her portions were gone.

Chiron announced that later, at three o- clock we would play Capture the Flag. I planned on not playing as usual. Nobody really wants me on their team, except maybe Will and Percy, but they both are usualy on opposite teams. Plus I was still sluggish from not getting enough sleep last night, and quite sore from carrying Phoenyx to the infirmary yesterday.

"So," I asked nonchalantly, swirling the Coke around in my cup, "how did Percabeth find you?" She laughed.

"Percabeth? Annabeth and Percy?" I smiled and nodded.

"It's the ship name I gave them. Anyway, how did you meet?" Phoenyx took another impossibly large bite out of her pancakes.

"I was on the run from the police, and I uh, kind of ambushed Percy," she said sheepishly. I raised an eyebrow.

"How'd you manage that?"

"I jumped out of the shadows and attacked. I was in my element." I put down my loaded fork.

"You mean to tell me you bested Percy Jackson in a fight?" Phoenyx nodded slowly.

"Ye-es. Is that so impressive? I've trained all my life in unarmed combat."

"Are you kidding? He's the best swordsman here. Probably the number one of all demigods. He fought Ares." Phoenyx looked confused.

"It was mostly wrestling."

"That makes more sense. How hard was it?" I asked.

"Not too hard. Until Annabeth skewered my foot," she grimaced. "Payback for beating up her boyfriend." So that was how she got injured. Phoenyx chugged the last of her milk. I shuddered. Health food.

"You up for a match?" She loosened her sword and knife belt. I looked at her primary blade. Hm. Spartan. I intended to politely refuse her offer, but my tongue spoke without my permission.

"Sure. Why not." I mentally kicked myself and cursed softly in Italian. It's one of the advantages of being bilingual: you can cuss, and no one else knows what on earth you're saying. Unless of course, some one speaks Italian. Phoenyx raised an eyebrow.

"Angry, much?" Again, my stupid linguetta spoke without contacting my brain first.

"You speak Italian?" I blurted.

"Enough to know what you just called yourself," she shrugged. I blinked stupidly before regaining my composure and lead Phoenyx to the arena. We both picked up trainer swords so we wouldn't hurt each other too badly when we landed a hit. She groaned.

"Are there any Spartan models?" she asked, rummaging through a pile of plastic blades.

"Maybe one or two," I guessed. I was pretty sure I saw one at some point, when some Ares kid tried it out, but gave up on it.

"Aha," Phoenyx said triumphantly, as she held up a sword that mirrored the shape of her real blade. Spartan swords look more like a machete or a scimitar than a 'normal' Greek blade or a Roman Gladius. A little longer, but not as much as a spatha like Hazel's. Phoenyx also grabbed a dagger and swiped it a few times at a dummy. Satisfied, she turned to me, an excited gleam in her eyes.

"Powers, or no?" she queried.

"Not this round," I responded. "Enguard?"

"Enguard."

We circled a few times, sizing each other up. The way Phoenyx was relaxed, but still completely ready told me she would be quick to react. I let her strike first. She backhanded a slash towards my head. I flicked the tip of my sword and deflected it, when I realized it was a diversion. Phoenyx's dagger came in for a thrust. I parried and undercut at her face. Her short sword blocked and twisted, moving in and forcing me to side step with a sweep. My blade swung toward her exposed side, causing my sister to cross-block with both blades, then dislodging the sword, and sending the point at my neck. Ducking, I sent my own sword toward the top of her shoulder, then redirected it back down. Phoenyx intercepted and threw it off course, then stepping in for a shot at my abdomen.

Our little sparring session went on. I was beginning to see how Phoenyx's style worked: she was an instinctive defender, and highly trained over all. Her patterns were very traditional, with a touch of intuitive spice. Rather unlike my style. I tended to be totally in the moment, with absolutely zilch amount of formal training. I was the street brawler. Phoenyx was the professional. She was Orthodox. I was Southpaw. Just by the way her attacks were punctuated, I could tell she hadn't had very much experience with multiple enemies, or on a battlefield. I, on the other hand, had almost all my time swordfighting in real combat.

Phoenyx was tiring. I saw this by the way her knife was often a touch lower than it should have been. I started attacking more aggressively. Feint. Sidestroke. Backhand-uppercut. Sidestroke. Thrust. Advancing, taking control of the rhythm of the fight, forcing Phoenyx back. Her blocks were getting desperate as I sped my movement up and let my instincts take charge. One of my overhands skimmed her shoulder, but she didn't flinch. Everything was in perfect balance. The upper hand was mine. Or so I thought. Phoenyx is very resourceful.

After feinting to disrupt my patterns, she threw her smaller blade at me and full on launched herself at me in a wrestler style tackle. The next thing I knew, Phoenyx was on top of me choking the living(or dead) daylights out of me. I struggled to push her hands off my collar, which she was using to apply the choke. Black dots swam in front of my vision, and I attempted to roll her off. Surprisingly, it worked. I think she was counting on it, because as soon as I landed in her guard, Phoenyx went straight into another submission. One of her legs was wrapped over my left arm, with the shin across my neck in a painful windpipe choke. My other arm was pinned beneath my weight. Phoenyx's other knee was clamped onto her ankle, and both hands were pulling my head into her shin. My windpipe hurt like freakin' Styx as she pulled harder and harder into the submission. Just as I was about to tap, the pressure slipped to a new area when Phoenyx jumped to a new position. Now, my face was smashed across the mat. Pain grew in my shoulder, and I knew better than to wait it out. I tapped.

My sister stood up and offered me a hand, grinning wildly. I mumbled thanks and hoisted myself onto my feet.

"No problem. That was some ace sword work."

"Thanks," I replied, catching my breath. "You're something else when it comes to unarmed combat." It was true: she handled me on the ground as easily as she would a toddler or something.

"Again?" she asked hopefully, picking up her weapons. I nodded and found mine. "Powers or no powers this time?"

"Yeah. Let's see what we're made of."

We touched swords and begun the second match. I summoned ten or more skeletons, and sent them after Phoenyx. She didn't bother with them, but melted into a shadow. Cautiously, I looked around, and got hit from behind with a force like a train. I was knocked onto my hands and knees in a cloud of inky black darkness. The shadow dissipated, and Phoenyx appeared in front of me with her sword at my neck. She gave a half smile and opened her mouth to speak, but was cut off by the sound of something breaking. Her brow furrowed, and she motioned for me to hold still while she listened.

"Let's go check that out," Phoenyx said warily, eying me, still on my knees, and offered me her hand for the second time in the past seven minutes. I wiped my forehead and walked side by side with her as we approached the source of the sound.

Around the bend was a short figure in boxing gloves pulverizing a punching bag. The thing was swinging wildly, and still the kid was pounding it like crazy. With a start, I realized it was Lucky Pane, from the Iris Cabin. He turned to look at us with a snarl on his face.


	6. Chapter 5: Lucky

The Why and Wherefore or Lukas Pane

I threw my fist as hard as I could into the black Everlast punching bag in front of me. I lost control of my body, throwing punching with all my anger packed into each and every one. Everyone who ever abandoned me, who despised me, who looked right through me, I sent that boiling hatred to. This was my daily therapy. How I got through the day. I hated my dad. He left me alone, just so he could open a larger casino. I hated my mom, Iris. I hated the gods, I hated everyone around me. I hated my foster parents, who were oh so sad for poor little Lucky. I hate, hate, hated them. I hated the way I looked. I hated the way I talked. Especially when I caught myself saying 'Suck it up, Cupcake,' or 'Seen it, Angel Face.' My dad always talked like that. I hated him. I hated this place. I wanted to be somewhere else. _Be_ someone else. I hated my life. I hated Lukas Pane.

I sunk to my knees and held my head in my hands. An empty feeling settled over my anger as it died, lost in the gaping hole in my heart. A tear escaped my eye and I blinked it away, also trying to clear my thoughts. I focused on the empty feeling and rose to my feet again. _I will bow down to nothing,_ I told myself. Hard resolved collected in my head. No. I wouldn't bow down. Not to the gods, not to my dad, not to my own feelings. I would be reckless. Careless. I didn't care if I died. It wasn't like I was part of any grand plan or scheme or anything. I was a shadow. I had to laugh. Life was so funny. I didn't care if it went on or not.

I took a swig of Gatorade and put my gloves back on. My shirt clung to me with sweat. I wiped my brow and sent all my emptiness into the heavybag. Visions of my past flooded the riverbed of my mind.

I was just a small kid when my dad abandoned me. He had started drinking heavily, joining in gambling at the Pane Casino more and more every night. I was most often left in our dump of a house to fend for myself. A flashback pictured itself in my head. I was sitting on a stool crying.

"Daddy," I called. "Daddy, I'm hungry. I'm hungry, Daddy." The dented and smeared walls were my only company. I hadn't eaten in three days. Three days. That was far too long for a five year old kid to go without food. My dad hadn't been home for that long. I was alone. A few hours later he finally came back, more drunk than a sailor. He mumbled under his breath, swearing as he bumped into walls. His once bright green fedora was shoved low over his eyes, and his matching suit stained and wet. The deep blue irises that once looked at me with love and care were filled with anger and incoherency.

"Sumpter cheated me," he slurred. I gazed up at him with frightened eyes. "What are you looking at? I'm telling you, that bloody bastard cheated me, damn him! Doan' look at me like that!" My father's voice was now a loud roar. I cowered in the corner.

"I'm hungry, Daddy," I whimpered, wiping my eyes and sniffling.

"You're hungry?" my father asked, kneeling beside me. "You know what, son, I am too. I'm gonna take a bite out of Sumpter's pride and spit it in his bank account." A fierce look crossed his face. "Eat this, Sumpter you bitch!" He slammed a bottle of whiskey against the wall next to me. I cried out as it shattered and a shard cut my cheek. His other arm blocked my exit away from his ranting. The yelling turned into screaming, and I was stuck, listening and watching my father rage and beat the walls with his fists.

"Daddy, stop, please stop," I pleaded, covering the cut on my face.

This went on for over an hour before my father finally realized his son was pleading with him to stop his angry bellowing. The next day at school the principal called the Child Protective Agency, and from then on, I haven't been allowed to see my dad. Starved, beaten, abandoned, I was sent to over fifteen different foster homes in the course of ten years. My father hadn't even fought to keep me. I never received any presents, notes, pictures, anything from my dad. Until I recieved his death certificate. No funeral was arranged for Norman Pane, son of Fortuna.

I sat on the couch with one pair of many foster parents, one on each side.

"It's okay, honey," cooed Mrs. D'Arcy, putting her arms around my skinny shoulders.

Mr. D'Arcy patted my back.

"You'll be alright, son." Twelve year old me jerked away.

" 'Son?' I'm not your son," I snarled. "You don't even really care about me." Jumping away from the D'Arcy's, I knocked over an expensive vase. Breaking it was so satisfying, I realized, and ran around the house bringing everything costly and valuable to the ground. My foster parents ran after me, screaming about how what an ungrateful wretch I was.

Jab. Jab. Straight. Jab, jab, jab. Hook. Uppercut. Jab. Straight.

The scene in my mind shifted to the latest foster family my social worker sent me to last year, the Greenhowes. My foster dad's face was red with anger.

"Lukas, why did you break the TV? This is unacceptable behavior!" I shrugged.

"I wanted to hit something, Cupcake." Kirk Greenhowe's face turned five shades brighter.

"Stop calling me 'Cupcake,'" he said through clenched teeth. I shrugged again.

" 'Kay, Beetface."

"Helen!" Kirk called, to his wife, throwing down his newspaper and rolling the sleeve on his collared shirt up.

"What dear?"

"Lukas broke the TV! _Again!"_ Helen Greenhowe entered the room will a rolling pin in her flour covered hand.

"Lucky, how could you!" she scolded. I gave her a smile that said, _I don't care that I'm in trouble. _

"I wanted to punch something, dear. Dear Beetface here says it's 'unacceptable behavior'. I disagree."

"That's _Mister Greenhowe_ to you!"

"Mister Greenface, I'm _so _sorry."

"Lukas, you are grounded for the next month!"

"Yes Mister Beet-howe, sir. Love you too!" I cackled and ran down the hall to my room. "Just kidding!" I yelled, loud enough for them to hear. The door closed behind me, and I turned the radio on loud. The bass shook the apartment window and a clay model skittered off my desk. I yelled at the top of my lungs to the song, not caring that I was off key. A small figure emerged from the closet and turned my radio off. "Get out, Ned!" I screamed and grabbed my foster brother by the shirt and launched him out the door. The music blared again when I flipped the switch and jumped into my bed, singing my heart out to a song I barely knew. Suddenly, the overhead lights started to flicker and dim. With a loud crackle, the power shut down and brought my rebellious howling to a stop. Left alone with my thoughts, I curled into a small ball and started sobbing into my pillow, not caring about the loud knocking on my door and the Greenhowes calling my name.

Next I saw myself sitting in the Greenhowes' recliner, looking back and forth from my foster parent's worried looks as the man in the wheelchair spoke.

"Lukas, your mother was the goddess Iris. That is why you never met her. Yet still," the man said, his grey brow furrowing, "you should have been claimed by the time you were twelve."

"What are you, psycho? Is this some elaborate prank you play on orphaned kids? You disgust me," I scoffed. The man in the wheelchair sighed.

"It is not a joke, Lukas. This is serious. If you stay here much longer, you could easily be killed by monsters on the loose." I snorted.

"Fine. I'll go with you. Just to humor you."

I faced the punching bag and stared at the ground, back in the present. Sweat trickled into my eye and blinked. I raised my eyes to my inanimate opponent. I brought my fist up to give it another hit, but barely nudged the bag. Then, the familiar rage filled me, and I let it loose upon the one hundred pound heavy bag. Jab, jab, straight. Jab, hook, jab, jab, uppercut. I didn't care that tears were streaming down my face. This was how I got through the day. With a ear splitting creak, the punching bag's rope broke and one hundred pounds of sand came down. Frustrated, I gave it a kick. A scuffling noise caught my attention, and I spun around.


	7. Sneak Peek for Chapt 6

Nico

**AN: Is Jason acting a little OCC? R&R**

Okay. I'll admit. I was caught off guard by how angry Lucky looked. Probably practiced that mean snarl of his.

"What are you looking at, Sweethearts?" the son of Iris drawled, "Can't a guy work in peace?" He hung his gloves up on the rack and glared at us. Didn't bother to fix the punching bag before moping off to do whatever it was he normally did. I turned to Phoenyx, who had a comical look on her face.

"Well," she sighed. "That was . . . interesting."

"Lucky fits that description," I muttered. "Do you think we could fix it?" Wondering about the bag on the ground, I inquired. She chewed on her lip and scrutinized the equipment.

"Most likely. Looks like the chain link just opened too wide." Her hand waved me over. "I'll lift, you close the link with the rest of the chain. I saw some pliers on the ground over there." I searched the grass and my fingers ran over something cold and hard. I pick it up and stuck it in my belt loop. Phoenyx cracked her back and fingers, and I jumped up to grab hold of the beam above my head, swinging my legs up to turn myself rightside up. I gave Phoenyx the thumbs up. She grunted and righted the bag so it stood on its bottom, and heaved upward. Reaching down, I took the end of the chain and placed it through the open end of the link. I strained to pull the metal ring together again. Just when I thought I had it, a familiar voice called out. Phoenyx cursed.

"Nico!" Jason called. My sister dropped the bag and barely managed to avoid being crushed by its weight by stumbling backwards and landing on her butt. Jason appeared smiling. "Hey. Need a little help?" The grin died when his eyes met Phoenyx, who bristled and stood up nervously. I slid down off my perch onto the ground. Phoenyx scowled at Jason.

"Praetor."

"Its actually _Pontifex Maximus _now," he replied coldly, meeting her steely gaze with his electric blue eyes.

"Demoted?" she snorted.

"Technically, _pro_-moted."

"Whatever. Sucks to be under _you_." My eyes flicked nervously back and forth during the exchange and a bad feeling crept over me.

Jason folded his arms. "We thought you died in the explosion." I stepped between the son of Jupiter and my sister.

"How do you know each other?" I asked, watching both of them warily. Pheonyx fingered a throwing knife, her eyes never leaving Jason, whose glasses were annoyingly crooked. For the umpteenth time I had to resist righting them.

"Unfortunately." He cleared his throat. "This person caused quite a ruckus at Camp Jupiter two years ago." His voice was icy. "She was an enemy of Rome, presumed to be dead." I scowled at the ground.

"Well, 'this person' is my sister, and I expect you two will be civil to each other." Phoenyx's eyes flashed angrily.

"I wouldn't expect civility from him," she pointed at Jason. It was his turn to bristle.

His voice was a low growl I had never heard come from him. "Oh, really? You think so? I'll show you civility, you _barbarus!" _He took the coin from his pocket and flipped it. The coin morphed into a Imperial Gold gladius. Phoenyx brandished her Stygian Iron sword, and summoned a skeleton.

"Stop! Right now!"


	8. Chapter 6: Nico

**AN: Tell me how to improve! I thrive on reviews! R&R**

**Punching Bags, Harpies who Love Turkeys, and a few Not-So-Amazing Grace Encounters**

Okay. I'll admit. I was caught off guard by how angry Lucky looked. Probably practiced that mean snarl of his.

"What are you looking at, Sweethearts?" the son of Iris drawled, "Can't a guy work in peace?" He hung his gloves up on the rack and glared at us. Didn't bother to fix the punching bag before moping off to do whatever it was he normally did. I turned to Phoenyx, who had a comical look on her face.

"Well," she sighed. "That was . . . interesting."

"Lucky fits that description," I muttered. "Do you think we could fix it?" Wondering about the bag on the ground, I inquired. She chewed on her lip and scrutinized the equipment.

"Most likely. Looks like the chain link just opened too wide." Her hand waved me over. "I'll lift, you close the link with the rest of the chain. I saw some pliers on the ground over there." I searched the grass and my fingers ran over something cold and hard. I pick it up and stuck it in my belt loop. Phoenyx cracked her back and fingers, and I jumped up to grab hold of the beam above my head, swinging my legs up to turn myself rightside up. I gave Phoenyx the thumbs up. She grunted and righted the bag so it stood on its bottom, and heaved upward. Reaching down, I took the end of the chain and placed it through the open end of the link. I strained to pull the metal ring together again. Just when I thought I had it, a familiar voice called out. Phoenyx cursed.

"Nico!" Jason called. My sister dropped the bag and barely managed to avoid being crushed by its weight by stumbling backwards and landing on her butt. Jason appeared smiling. "Hey. Need a little help?" The grin died when his eyes met Phoenyx, who bristled and stood up nervously. I slid down off my perch onto the ground. Phoenyx scowled at Jason.

"Praetor."

"Its actually _Pontifex Maximus _now," he replied coldly, meeting her steely gaze with his electric blue eyes.

"Demoted?" she snorted.

"Technically, _pro_-moted."

"Whatever. Sucks to be under _you_." My eyes flicked nervously back and forth during the exchange and a bad feeling crept over me.

Jason folded his arms. "We thought you died in the explosion." I stepped between the son of Jupiter and my sister.

"How do you know each other?" I asked, watching both of them warily. Pheonyx fingered a throwing knife, her eyes never leaving Jason, whose glasses were annoyingly crooked. For the umpteenth time I had to resist righting them.

"Unfortunately." He cleared his throat. "This person caused quite a ruckus at Camp Jupiter two years ago." His voice was icy. "She was an enemy of Rome, presumed to be dead." I scowled at the ground.

"Well, 'this person' is my sister, and I expect you two will be civil to each other." Phoenyx's eyes flashed angrily.

"I wouldn't expect civility from him," she pointed at Jason. It was his turn to bristle.

His voice was a low growl I had never heard come from him. "Oh, really? You think so? I'll show you civility, you _barbarus!" _He took the coin from his pocket and flipped it. The coin morphed into a Imperial Gold gladius. Phoenyx brandished her Stygian Iron sword, and summoned a skeleton.

"Stop! Right now!" I ordered, pushing Jason back and dispelling the undead with snap of my fingers. Phoenyx glared at me.

"Nico," she warned, "stay out of this. He's Roman, for the god's sakes! He tried to have me executed!"

"I don't care if he's Roman or Venezuelan, or Egyptian," I snapped, "He's my friend."

"Well, your 'friend' here, wants me dead."

"You committed treacherous acts against the Senate, and attacked a Praetor. Isn't that reason enough?" Jason argued. My voice went dangerously low.

"No one is killing or hurting anyone. I don't care if you've had spats, you'll have to go through me." The _Pontifex_ was the first to relent.

"Fine," he mumbled, returning his sword to coin form. Phoenyx glared at him, but sheathed her blade and crossed her arms.

"Now," I sighed. "What's this all about?" Phoenyx popped her fingers.

"I was passing through California, when I met a few demigods from Camp Jupiter. _Against my will _I was taken to their headquarters, and detained. I attempted an escape, and accidentally maimed a guard, who died a few hour later. I then was put on trial for murder, but ended up breaking loose and escaping. Unfortunately, a Praetor was in the way of my exit, and I fought her. An archer tried to shoot me-"

"But hit a gas tank and caused a large explosion that killed _ten _good legionnaires, plus a Senator," Jason finished hotly.

"I myself escaped be the skin on my teeth," added Phoenyx, motioning to her mouth. I rolled my eyes in exasperation.

"This is ridiculous. Can't you just shake and forget about it?" Phoenyx gave a harsh laugh.

"I'd eat a hellhound first," she growled.

"For the god's sakes! Just get _over it! _It sounds to me like a colossal misunderstanding!" Jason shook his head.

"Oh, we understand each other, all right." I looked at Phoenyx desperately.

"I think you've held this grudge for too long. It's our fatal flaw. Just let it go," I pleaded, and immediately got a song stuck in my head. Ugh. I really _really _dislike Frozen. Elsa reminds me too much of myself. Okay, that sounded weird. "Jason," I said, turning to the _Pontifex_, "Come on. It was a misunderstanding. Can't you just start fresh?" His face softened and he readjusted his glasses. Thank the gods. I was soooooooo tempted to help him out and just _shove them up his nose where they belong!_ Phoenyx says I'm OCD.

"I suppose there isn't any other way, except for duking it out," Jason finally said. Phoenyx stared at the ground for a few seconds before looking up and shaking his hand.

"Phoenyx Rubidoux, daughter of Hades."

"Jason Grace, son of Jupiter, _Pontifex Maximus._" I let go of my breath. I couldn't hold it back anymore. Grrr. Another Frozen reference.

Well, at least I didn't have to drag Piper over here to convince them not to kill each other. "If you don't mind, I'm gonna sit down for a second," I announced, and sat down on a nearby bench.

"Okay. Let's get this thing back up," Phoenyx nodded to the punching bag Lucky had pulverized. She climbed up to the place where I perched earlier to rehook the broken chain link and pull it back together. Jason had an easier time lifting the bag than Phoenyx did. Naturally. He had a whole foot on her. Once it was set, Phoenyx swung down next to me.

"What next?" she asked, as she sat down on the bench beside me. I looked at the new skull watch on my wrist, a gift from Hazel, and the shorter crossbone pointed to ten.

"It's only five till ten, but Jason probably needs help our help moving things for the new altars and shrines."

He nodded. "I could always use some more muscle." I snorted.

"Well, in that case, I'll be about as much help as a salt shaker. I'm going to take a nap."

As soon as I plopped into my bunk, a dream launched.

A small boy was sitting by a crib smiling down at a baby. He didn't seem to notice the yelling from the other room, coming from his parents. I recognized Hades' voice.

"Eleanor Jane!" argued the woman, "I thought we agreed on that, Pluto!" Hades' eyes flashed and he shook his head and straightened his old fashioned suit lapel.

"Now you think I'm Roman again! I am _Hades, _Carole dear, the Lord of the Dead. Not some petty Roman god of wealth." Carole threw her hands in the air.

"That is beside the point. You promised we would name her Eleanor, and now you wish to name _our_ daughter name could be better than the one _we _chose?" she demanded.

"Phoenyx," Hades said proudly. "Phoenyx Eleanor Rubidoux."

"It's- it's-_hideous!" _

"Well _I _fancy it!"

"To think I once _fancied_ _you_!" Carole slapped my father across the face. His pale features darkened.

"This is a very dangerous rope you are walking," he warned. My sister's mother looked aghast.

"You would not." Hades' expression softened.

"I suppose you are right. I _could _not. We must compromise. Eleanor Phoenyx?" Carole pursed her lips and sighed.

"It's not as bad." Hades released all his pent up breath.

"Very well. Eleanor Phoenyx Rubidoux." The two embraced briefly. "Nykolas," Hades called to the little boy in the other room, "we will be leaving shortly."

The scene changed.

"I'm finished counting, Nyk!" a young girl said. At a glance I could tell it was Phoenyx. Or Eleanor. Whatever. The five year old version. The dark cavern around her told me it was the Underworld. Phoenyx scrutinized her surroundings and ran into one of the tunnels leading outward. The way she acted, fearlessly and confidently in some ways paralleled how she was now.

She followed a faint glowing from the end of one stone corridor. The pitter-patter of her bare feet echoed off the walls. Sliding to a stop on the glassy floor, Phoenyx looked back and forth from the fork in the rode. She went right. The one with no torches, and the ominous purple glow radiating from it. Through the dream, I could feel the power pulsating from the end of the tunnel. Phoenyx slowed to a walk and crept around the corner. At the bend revealed a room with my dad standing in the center dressed in long black robes, the faces of captured souls screaming silently. In his outstretched hand was a glowing, dark purple orb. Something about it was eerie. Dare I say, creepy. Hades was chuckling evilly.

"Why, thank you, Lord Dionysus. I will insure you are repaid according to our deal. I shall take Carole Rubidoux as my new immortal wife, and you shall take Persephone as yours." A freakish grin crossed his pale face and he closed his eyes. "I cast this irrevocable curse of madness, only curable by Dionysus himself, upon -" Hades' eyelids flew open as Phoenyx scuffed her foot against the ground.

"Eleanor Phoenyx Rubidoux, what are you-" his face went slack as the glowing curse-orb-thing shot out of his hand and at Phoenyx. She staggered and screamed. Our dad rushed forward and caught her, shaking her shoulders violently.

"Ellie? Phoenyx! Answer me, child!" Her eyes popped open, revealing a purple light glowing from them. Almost at once they faded back to their normal amber color. Relief flooded over Hades' expression and he held Phoenyx close as she cried into his shoulder.

"Papa, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have-" Hades looked almost human with sympathy.

"You will be fine, dear." He lifted her small face up from his shoulder gently. "Chin up. Run along, now. Go read a book or put together a puzzle until supper."

"Yes, sir." Phoenyx sniffled, and walked down the way she came.

I'd never seen this side of my father. The closest was in that chapel of bones in Evora. He did actually end up decorating a hall with bones.

"This is very bad," Hades muttered. "The child received the curse. Yet she showed no signs of it affecting her. That must be a good sign, mustn't it?"

The scene faded until I faced a harpy with golden feathers grooming itself.

"TURKEYS!" It screamed. "GIVE ME TURKEYS! WILL HELP YOU FOR TURKEYS! CHEESE IS NOT GOOD FOR HARPIES!"

"What the heck?" I asked it. The image started rumbling.

"Nico, wake up. It's time for dinner- I mean- lunch." The harpy flew overhead, and everything was black. Phoenyx was shaking me awake. "Lunch is in five minutes. We gotta hurry," she insisted, shaking me harder.

"Screw lunch," I mumbled, but with my face smashed against the pillow, it sounded more like 'F'crew wunt.' Somehow, Phoenyx understood me.

"Really? We're having Stromboli." I rolled onto my stomach and covered my head with a blanket.

My voice was muffled. "Don't like Stromboli."

"Hmh. Weird. You're sure you're Italian?" she asked.

"Sono sicuro," I told her. 'I'm sure.'

"Ice cream is for dessert," Phoenyx groped for something to get me moving. Personally, I could skip lunch, but dessert was something I prefered to have consistently.

"What kind? Chocolate?"

"Don't think so. Think it's blackberry." I bolted upright and squinted up at Phoenyx.

"Blackberry?" I couldn't keep the hopefulness out of my voice. She nodded.

"Yep. Now come on. I think we're already late," she said impatiently. I flopped onto the floor and pulled my shoes out from under the bunk. "You sleep like the dead," my sister informed me. "Its very fitting." I snorted, and ended up choking on air. I don't suggest it. "Don't kill yourself, dude. I only just met you," she laughed, but then a depressed look crossed her face. I sighed and pulled myself to my feet.

"Onward," I announced tiredly, "To eat ice cream." My efforts to lighten Phoenyx's mood didn't work.

The dining pavilion was buzzing with chatter as demigods from each table talked and laughed. As we passed the Hermes table, some kid almost spilled his drink on me by accident.

"Watch it," I snapped, glaring at the boy.

"Jeez, Death Boy," he muttered, leaning over to pick his goblet off the ground, "Take it easy." _Death Boy? _Phoenyx mouthed incredulously. I shook my head passively.

Jason was waiting for us at the Hades table just like he said he would be, two days after Gaea was defeated. I slid onto the bench on the opposite side of the table. Phoenyx did the same. Jason smiled.

"Nico, Phoenyx." I nodded. "Thanks for you help moving the building materials, Phoenyx."

"No prob. I always like a good workout." I could see the struggle in her mind to think of Jason as a friend, not an enemy. I was glad she was making the effort.

I picked at my Stromboli, tearing off chunks and eating them slowly in my usual habit. Apparently, Phoenyx always eats like she'll never eat again. I wondered where all the food went. Maybe those jokes about hollow legs are true. Maybe into muscle? Possibly. If Phoenyx had an armwrestling match with Clarisse La Rue, I wasn't too sure who would win. Her build was fairly average even though she was only as tall as Hazel,but _way_ ripped. Not gross ripped like bodybuilders or anything, but like a gym rat. Huh. That's a strange thought. A daughter of Hades a gym rat.

My train of thought was interrupted by another familiar(but this one was not one I liked) face. A _Grace _face. Not Jason, either. The Hunters of Artemis were just sitting down at their honorary table, and Thalia was chatting with Chiron. I scowled. Phoenyx stiffened and fingered a throwing knife in it's sheath. Jason, seeing our looks, turned around, and(unlike us) broke into a grin. He stood up and walked over to his sister.

"Little brother!" Thalia playfully rumpled Jason's neatly combed hair.

"Hey. What's up? What brings you here?" The son of Jupiter asked.

"A little deer told me a special new camp showed up, and Capture the Flag was on. How could I miss a chance to kick some mortal demigod butt? How many times have the Hunters won? 56? 57? So who is this fresh blood?" Jason looked at Phoenyx and Thalia's cheerful smile fell.

"Really? Of all people? _That one?" _I bristled.

" 'Really?' what? Do you have a problem with my sister? Quit with the riddles, Grace," I snapped, and Thalia winced.

"Don't call me by that name," she growled. "Rubidoux here is being hunted. By us." Phoenyx stood up and snarled, her normally emotionless eyes filled with torment and anger.

"Is there _anywhere _I go were I don't find enemies?"

Thalia's expression hardened. "Maybe you wouldn't have so many enemies if you stayed out of trouble."

"Maybe I should leave," Phoenyx retorted.

"Maybe you should." My sister slammed her fist into the table and an uncomfortable silence settled over the dining pavilion.

"I think I will!" Phoenyx spat on the ground and pushed past Thalia to the Hades Cabin.

"Phoenyx!" I called after her. She didn't stop, but kept storming toward the building. I sprinted after her and grabbed her by the shoulder as she closed the door behind her. Her body shook with anger, and her eyes were wet."Phoenyx, where are you going?" I demanded.

"I'm leaving."


	9. Chapter 7: Diffrent POV's

**AN: YAY! IT'S HERE! Tell me how to improve! R&R**

**Capture my Temper**

Phoenyx turned around and walked off. I ran after her, and put my hand on my shoulder. She spun around.

"Goodbye, Nico. Maybe, just maybe, one day we can meet again, and actually spend more than two days together." Her voice was strained, and she was furiously trying to blink tears away. "I'm sorry it had to be this way."

"But where will you go?" I protested. Phoenyx shrugged sadly.

"Don't know. Lived this way for almost three years. I think I can manage more. I _have_ to." Hearing this crushed me. Living on the run for three years? Hunted? Not only by monsters, but with the Hunters of Artemis in pursuit?

"What about me?" I asked desperately. "Us? Meeting Hazel? Phoenyx, we need you." Her expression changed to indecision and remorse.

"I have to go," she said bitterly, and melted into a shadow. Anger towards the Hunters and anybody else who hurt my sister boiled inside me, and I stormed up to the pavilion, right up to Thalia, who was already packed up for the chase.

"If I were you," she told me, securing her pack, "I would tell my sister to get the Hades out of here. We've been commanded to hunt her, and to kill her on sight." Percy came from behind me looking confused and angry.

"Where is she?" he asked.

"I don't know. The Hunters are going after her."

He looked incredulous. "They can't do that! She's under the protection of Camp Half-Blood!" Thalia shook her head.

"Not any more. She ran off, remember?" Darkness started to collect around me, and I realized I was shaking in anger.

"If you do so much as touch her, I swear on the Styx I'll-" Suddenly, the ground rumbled, shaking plates and spilling drinks. Smoke rose from a deep crevice in the ground. My father emerged from it, wearing Greek battle armor, and brandishing his staff.

"Who wishes to harm Phoenyx, my daughter?" he boomed, his black eyes glittered furiously as he glared at the campers. Most of them fell on their faces. I knelt.

"The Hunters of Artemis, my lord," I told him.

Thalia looked flustered and angry. "It's our charge from Artemis." Hades scowl deepened.

"Well. I suggest you get going. But, as a fair warning, you will be swallowed up by the ground. And if you manage to survive that, I will personally unleash my wrath on you, demigod, though immortal you may be." My dad's voice went dangerously low. "Tell Artemis that my Heron will not fall under your feet. I will not let the Heron follow the White Angel's path to destruction." Hades looked at me with his intense black eyes. "Take care of your sister Phoenyx. She needs you much more than she realizes, and much more than you can imagine." In a flash, he disappeared, and a raven flew off into the sky simultaneously. Out of nowhere, Phoenyx appeared, looking shaken up. I surprised myself by hugging her. At first she stiffened, but then relaxed and hugged me back.

"Hey," she said playfully, after letting go and poking my arm. "Long time no see." I gave a wry smile.

"What made you decide to come back?" Phoenyx matched my sideways rueful grin.

"I didn't decide to. Pops threw me back."

" 'Pops'? You just called the Lord of the Dead 'Pops'?"

She laughed. "Yeah. Get over it. Now you ready to kick some immortal butt in Capture the Flag?"

"Pfft, yes. Of course," I replied, making up my mind right then and there. Pretending I never was going to do differently.

I really dislike wearing armor. Its too heavy and clunky. Makes me feel like the Tin Man's emo cousin or something. Especially helmets. Too tight and stuffy. Besides, the work I usualy do is under the cover of darkness, undetected. Still, Phoenyx insisted on me at least wearing a breastplate.

She donned an extremely light black leather jerkin she claimed had magical protection enhancements, and a wrist guard on her right hand. The other thing I noticed was her black half gloves she always wore. I'd never seen her take them off the whole time I'd been with her. Speaking of leather items, this aviator jacket tickles my brain. When Reyna, Coach Hedge and I were Shadow Traveling the Athena Parthenos to Camp Half-Blood, I'd tossed it aside in Portugal because it was too shredded to be of any use, from the encounter with Lycaon. Yet a week after the War ended, it popped up in the Hades Cabin closet. I shuddered when I thought of the king of werewolves, and the scars on my forearms ached at the memory. They had faded for the most part, but seeing pictures of wolves makes them throb painfully. Its why lately I've kept my forearms wrapped in some magic gauze Will Solace gave me.

The other weapons Phoenyx carried were a bow and quiver, a set of throwing knives, a black shield, and her Stygian Iron dagger and Spartan Kopis combo. She looked very formidable. Me? I just had a breastplate, Nyk's jacket, and my sword. Not counting the fact that half the kids here practically peed their pants when I walked behind them. But we weren't playing against other campers today. Today, I got a chance at a nice thick slice of revenge for my sister. For both my sisters. And for when the Hunters kidnapped Reyna. That was plain embarrassing.

Thalia and her Hunters were looking smug and confident, so much that they didn't bother to plan for more than three minutes. They just stood around talking and laughing like Aphrodite or Venus girls. Mostly laughing about how easy winning would be. Phoenyx muttered something about 'talking shadows' and 'porcupine feathers'. I think I heard the last part wrong.

Because we were the home team, we chose the side of the woods closest to the Big House, and the Hunters got the opposite side of the creek. Annabeth, Percy, Clarisse, and the whole entire cabins of Hades and Zeus/Jupiter(Thalia didn't count anymore) started collaborating.

"We need to hit them hard on the flanks if we're going to win," Clarisse exclaimed, and threw her sword into the dirt there a setup plan was being visualized.

"I say we send a few people in, while the rest draw them off," opinionated Percy.

Annabeth shook her head. "Remember, they could easily pick everybody off at a distance. I can't think of a way to draw them out. But without a way to, our middle defence would be shredded." An uncomfortable silence rested over everybody, until Percy perked up.

"Jason," he said excitedly, "could you summon a storm cloud over the Hunter's side?" Jason adjusted his glasses.

"I don't know. I've never tried."

"Maybe you could use strong wind to blow their arrows off course," I offered. Annabeth brightened and smiled.

"That could definitely be useful for a offensive group. But that still leaves us with the problem of the sharpshooters, and getting past them to the melee fighters." Another frustrated pause.

"I could throw a shadow over the Hunters' area," Phoenyx suggested after thirty-three seconds. (Sorry with the precise numbers and everything. Phoenyx now really thinks I'm OCD) I blinked.

"What do you mean?" I asked. I was literally in the dark about what she was saying.

"You've never summoned Shadow Spirits?" Phoenyx frowned.

"N-no. . ."

"You're telling me you've never seen into the Shadow Layer?" she inquired skeptically.

Annabeth butted in. "What's the Shadow Layer?" I could tell she was engrossed in these new findings.

"It's the only place where Shadow Spirits are visible," Phoenyx explained. "They have to do a child of Hades' bidding, and they often pass along valuable information. That's why I was able to stay uncaught for so long. When you Shadow Travel, you enter the Layer for a period of time. I can stay perfectly connected to both realities at once, if I want to."

"Is that I why I couldn't move you this morning?" I thought back to our sparring session. Phoenyx nodded. Clarisse harrumphed.

"Can we start talking some language I can understand?" she complained.

"Excuse me! Sorry. Sorry. Coming through. Sorry!"

"Hey! Move over people! Daughter of Poseidon coming through!" Two figures pushed through the crowd of demigods, and I recognized Maddie Flynn and Cole, Percy's little sister. I say little even though she's my age. She might be Poseidon's daughter, but she looks almost nothing like Percy. Cole doesn't have what is considered the 'signature' sea green eyes, or black hair. Instead, her curly hair is light brown, contrasting to her California tan. I've never been able to tell her eye color because of the tinted glasses she wears. She'd made fast friends with the newest edition to the Dionysus Cabin, Maddie, who doesn't look all that special or demigod-ish. On the shorter side, pretty pale, dark brown hair usualy in a ponytail, and one brown eye that drifts off to the side when she's talking. This really bugs me. And it isn't something I can change at all, unlike Jason's perpetually crooked glasses. She also really seems to enjoy quoting Shakespeare, which I kind of like listening to. Hamlet is a fantastic play. Lots of dark themes.

"You're shirt is torn, Percy," Cole told her brother, and poked him in the shoulder.

He looked where she pointed. "Oh. Yeah. Hi, Cole. Maddie." Maddie looked winded.

"I have a plan," she announced, and handed Annabeth a scroll. Everybody but me and Phoenyx looked over her shoulder. Sometimes I dislike being short-ish. The daughter of Athena crinkled her eyebrows and Jason adjusted his glasses.

"It's- absurd," she said frankly. Maddie nodded enthusiastically.

"That's exactly why it will work." Her eye drifted off to the side distractingly. "The Hunters will be expecting some completely complex and tricky. They won't see this coming." Annabeth thought for a second.

"Maddie is right. It's a brilliant idea. In a strange, insane, incomprehensible way. It might just work." She smiled at the daughter of the Wine Dude, looking impressed.

"If not, we'll just add one more win to the Hunters record, and we'll make fools of ourselves," Jason added.

"Mr. Pessimist."

"I don't get it," complained Percy.

"Me neither," replied Maddie.

"For Tyche's sake, the entire Hades Cabin hasn't even seen the stupid thing." I rolled my eyes.

"Are sure you want to?" Poseidon's son asked.

"Yes, I'm sure," I snapped, "Just hand me the scroll." After looking at it for a full minute, I changed my mind. It was hurting my brain. "Never mind," I mumbled, handing it back to Annabeth.

Phoenyx smirked and nudged me with an elbow. I glared half-heartedly at her. "I think I get it. But where will Nico and I come in?" she inquired.

"Your job is to make as much of a distraction as possible without getting caught, and in Phase 3, to protect the Flag Extraction team on their escape," Annabeth explained.

"Well," Clarisse got an evil grin on her face. "Let's get moving. I'll give the orders." She clunked off, her armor rattling as she walked.

"What about me?" Cole threw a stick at a tree, and a Dryad's face appeared in the bark, sticking it's tongue out at her.

"You will stay with me and Percy," Annabeth ordered. "Maddie, you stay with my second in command, Malcolm."

"Okay. I'm not very athletic anyway." As Maddie turned away, her eyes flashed an intense purple. My thoughts flashed back to my dream earlier. I remembered the purple in Phoenyx's eyes after the curse thing entered her. I shuddered. It was creepy. Something inside me knew that those purple flashing eyes had to do with the plan.

I was sure I didn't understand Maddie's plan for the most part. All I knew, was that it involved a lot of pretending, and yelling, and pretending to fake, and all that kind of good stuff. Phoenyx and I set up position in a tree, where the Hunters were less likely to look.

"So how long can you sustain the Shadow Cover?" I asked her, brushing a leaf off my hair. She unslung her bow, and nocked an arrow to her string, but didn't draw.

"Depends on the time of day. Right now, in these woods, I could probably keep it going for about forty-five minutes or so, without being too tired to fight. At night, I could easily keep it up as long as the dark hours last. It also depends on what method I used. If I send Shadow Spirits and beings to harass them, I could hold them to it till ten a.m, and I have very little power from ten to two p.m. Those hours in between are brightest. The Shadows sleep during that time. That's why our powers are stronger at night. At least that's how it is with skiakinesis, and umbrakinesis. The two are doors to the other. I've never been great at necrokinesis, geokinesis, ferrokinesis, etcetera, etcetera."

"How do you enter or see into the Shadow Layer?" I picked apart a twig, and discarded a green strand of it. Phoenyx scanned the horizon as she spoke.

"You know that cold, tingly feeling you get right before you Shadow Travel? Once it saturates you, don't think of the place you want to go, or moving. Instead, pretend like you're opening your eyes, and you should at least see into it. Don't fully commit to it on your first try, or the Shadow Spirits will pull you in, and it's almost impossible to get out. You have to show them who's boss. Go ahead and try it. I'll make sure nothing happens."

"Thanks." I took a deep breath and plunged. I found the icy chill, and let it soak into my skin. At first, when I looked, nothing happened. Suddenly, I felt like I was being sucked into a vacuum or vortex of blinding, pulsating purple. _Ah, a son of old Corpse Breath_, a loud, booming voice said. _How nice of you to stop by._ I felt powerless to escape the death lock it had on me. _Why do you fight me? I won't hurt you. Unless, you call turning you into a total nutjob 'hurt.' I wouldn't-_ something dark and powerful started pulling me out of the swirling purple. I felt like my brain would combust. _You can't save him, skiamancer! He's mine! You don't have enough power to pull him from my-NO! How can you-_ a silence followed as the dark force and the Purple Thing tugged harder at my essence.

_I am She who Rules the Shadows, and I will not yield to you. Release my brother NOW!_

_GHHAAAAAAA!_ cried the Purple Thing. _YOU MAY HAVE WON THIS TIME,_ REGINA TENEBRIS, _BUT- AHHHHHHHH!_ I was shoved back into the physical word. I came up clutching my throat and gasping for air.

"Take it easy!" Phoenyx stabilized me as I started to fall off my perch in the tree.

"What was that?" I asked between gasps.

"I don't know," she said anxiously. "It was pretty powerful. And it wasn't in the Shadow Layer, either. It was something different. It was alive. The only reason I could force it to release you, was because I attacked it. It isn't used to pain." She shook her head. "I don't even know how I did that." After a few minutes of catching my breath, I interrupted the frustrated silence.

"The Purple Thing called you Regina Tenebris," I recalled. " 'The Shadow Queen' in Latin. And you called yourself 'She who Rules the Shadows.' Where did you get titles like that?" Phoenyx chewed her lip distractedly.

"The Shadow Spirits always call me by that name. I guess it's because I'm the strongest skiamancer they've seen since Hades. I've never been called Regina Tenebris before."

"Hmm. I'm the Ghost King," I told her. Phoenyx started. Her eyes were wide.

"The Ghost King?" she asked. I nodded tentatively.

"What's wrong with that?" Phoenyx didn't respond and guiltily looked away. A bugle sounded in the distance.

"It's time for Phase Two," she said, and dropped onto the ground. I followed, and drew my sword.

"So just running around, making noise."

"Pretty much. I'll Shadow Travel us everywhere."

I stopped. "Is that safe? To do without fading?" Phoenyx looked incredulously at me as she loosened her sword in it's scabbard.

"Safe? Pssh, yeah. I've practiced this my whole life. I can stay connected to the physical world rather easily. I control the Shadows, remember?"

I shrugged. "Okay. Just don't push yourself," I warned.

As it turns out, toying with the Hunters' patience was very fun. Like, the most fun I've ever had in my life. Phoenyx and I jumped around the forest terrorizing Hunters, and shooting noisemaker arrows. I was surprised at how saucy Phoenyx was with them. She constantly was yelling things like, 'Ha! I could shoot better with half my brain tied behind my back!' and 'Want a piece of me? Huh? Come get it.' One time, she called a Hunter a 'son of a Cyclops'. I cracked up at this one.

We emerged from a shadow, and I looked around quickly, scanning warily for Hunters. I swear, my heart stopped when I heard a twang, and an arrow flew towards us. Neither of us had time to react. The projectile zipped straight through Phoenyx! I couldn't believe it. I stared at her, gaping.

"Ketobleps got your tongue?" she laughed. "I just faded partially to the Shadow Layer, that's all. Now pick your chin off the ground, Nico." I shook my head, and chucked a rock into a bush. Phoenyx shot arrows tipped with noisemakers into the woods, and I summoned the dead, sending them in the direction of the Hunters. A bugle blared in the distance.

"Phase Three. We meet up with Jason," I recalled. Phoenyx nodded and closed her eyes.

"Just a sec," she told me. Her eyes opened and she took my hand. "The Shadow Spirits told me where Jason and his crew are." Well. I guess being a skiamancer is more than just Shadow Traveling around. We ventured into the Shadow Layer, passing sleepy Shadow beings pointing in the same direction. Jason jumped when we materialized. He and his gang were fighting a small group of melee Hunters, and doing a decent job at it. Phoenyx practically tossed her bow onto her shoulder and drew her sword, wedging open a gap in the circle the Hunters had around us. Pretty soon they realized they were out matched, and retreated closer to the flag. It was high up in a tree, but still visible, about a hundred yards away.

"Lets go for it," Jason ordered, and we sprinted toward the flag. Arrows flew from nearby bushes, followed with Hunters who were drawing their swords. We formed a wall around the five immortals and began to attack. The girl I was fighting was slightly more experienced than her comrades. Even still, she was no match for me. She was constantly struggling to block my attacks, and no counterattacks were even offered. I guessed she was one of the new recruits. Over a third of the Hunters were killed in the encounter with Orion, and Thalia had been desperate to find more.

The Hunter tripped over a stone and landed on her butt. Nervously, she looked up at me. My heart was in my throat. No. It wasn't her. It couldn't be. But she looked so much like her. I would have sworn she was Bianca. A feeble croak escaped my mouth.

"Bianca," I whimpered. The girl shook her head and her braids flopped side to side. In a flash, a sword was up my nose. I recovered from my stupor and parried, knocking her weapon out of hand. I motioned for the Hunter to hand over her bow and quiver. Reluctantly, she did. I stuffed her sword in my belt and followed the rest of my crew towards the flag. Phoenyx shot me a questioning look. Not now, I mouthed. She nodded, and turned her eyes back to the horizon. We were only about ten yards away from the flag, and not a Hunter was in sight. A rush of adrenalin hit me like a sugar high, and a thrill ran through my body. We were almost there. This might be the first time in like, 60 years since Camp Half-Blood won a game of Capture the Flag versus the Hunters of Artemis. Cautiously, one of the Hephaestus kids advanced. Probably searching for any mechanical traps. She gave us a thumbs up. Jason came forward dramatically, and started climbing the tree the flag was in. Not quite so gracefully. When his hand touched the flag, all the other Flag Extraction group looked around at each other excitedly, but not daring to say a word.

"Jason?" Phoenyx said uneasily.

"What?" came the muffled answer, along with a grunt.

"I have a bad feeling about thi-" Jason cursed and fell from the tree, smacking his head against the biggest branch. Luckily, he stopped a few feet from the ground. A loud siren blared, and lights popped up out of the ground. I glared at the Hephaestus girl who supposedly scouted the way.

"Run!" Jason commanded, brandishing the flag. He handed it off to one of the Stolls, and we all started sprinting to our side of the forest. Arrows flew at us, and Hunters jumped out with their blades drawn. Those with shields created a turtle like triangle around the main group, wedging our way out of the walls the Hunters formed. Both Stoll brothers were drawing closer to the halfway point. Shouts of encouragement were given to the Hermes spawn as they crossed the line. Jason fist pumped.

"Yes! Keep going! Don't stop! YOW!" An arrow grazed the top of Jason's shoulder as he celebrated. "Double time!" he barked. I pushed myself onward with the group.

"They've got our flag!" somebody cried, just as my least favorite Hunter darted from cover with our banner.

"I've got this!" Phoenyx yelled, and ducked out of the wedge. Her shadowy figure dashed in and out of the trees at an inhuman speed. I sensed she was half in the Shadow Layer, allowing her to move quicker. With how fast she was going, Thalia seemed to be creeping along at a snail's pace.

Pheonyx's POV

I slipped into the physical world a foot in front of Thalia. She stumbled, and I twisted the blade out of her hand. Her eyes flashed angrily, and she tried to smack me upside the head with the flag pole. Luckily, she only grazed my noggin, and I darkened the space around us. Thalia swung the flag wildly in a futile attempt to hit me. I ducked, and grabbed her by the jacket, pulling her down. She apparently anticipated this, and tried to turn the toss back onto me. I followed through. Once she was on the ground, I threw my sword into the ground and started to pull the flag from her hand, and at the same time, distract her with an armlock. Thalia spat in my face, but I stayed focused, forcing her arm backward. Her body twisted, and she tried to buck me off. Without thinking, I kneed her in the side, and she grunted. I cranked her arm almost to the point of breaking it, until she let go with a cry of pain.

"Fine! Take the stupid thing!" I grabbed the flag and darted back to our side of the woods as quickly as possible.

Nico's POV

My legs ached from all the running we had been doing. We were getting closer to base rather quickly, but it seemed like it was taking forever. Phoenyx appeared next to me with the flag the Hunters had stolen and fell in line. A wild grin was on her face. We had the game. Our party slowed to a walk when we touched our base. A trumpet sounded, and Chiron's voice echoed throughout the woods.

"Congratulations, Red Team! You have won the game, and broken the Hunter's record against us. Now, please make your way to the Dining Pavilion. Dinner will start in fifteen minutes." I couldn't help but smile at all the campers' excitement over winning. Percy and Clarisse were going nuts, and Annabeth and Cole were praising Maddie for the plan. I just stood there stupidly grinning. Jason walked over to me and Phoenyx, who still was in total adrenalin mode.

"That was awesome! High-five!" he said cheerfully. I obliged, and Phoenyx did too.

"Phoenyx," I started, "That was the most fun I have ever had." She laughed.

"The feeling is mutual. I haven't had this much fun in over three years." Some campers came over to Phoenyx and congratulating her on recapturing our flag. I could tell she wasn't used to the attention, and slipped closer to me to avoid it after a while.

The Hunters were, well, kicked in the butt. Badly. They would be sore about this day for many years to come. Thalia kept glaring at Phoenyx and me, and the whole group looked rag-tag. They hadn't just swallowed their pride, we shoved it down their throats.

And I'll admit. It felt pretty good.

**Percy's POV **

I was so pumped after winning Capture the Flag. Never once in all my time at Camp Half-Blood had we won against the Hunters. After the game was over, I directed everybody to Maddie. She was the one with the brilliant, mind blowing plan. Cole invited her to sit at the Poseidon table. Chiron saw, but was in a good enough mood to let it slide. Maddie and my sister chatted about random things, like the game, random books they had read, and something about the god of running out of toilet paper, and Studio D or something. No clue.

Everything was going pretty much great. Until we got to the campfire singalongs. Some Apollo kid had a smart idea to write a stupid song making fun of the last person on earth you want to make fun of.

_Old Corpse Breath's son is a gloomy young soul_

_A gloomy young soul is he_

_Nico don't brush his hair, and he don't comb his teeth_

_But he talks to the dead does he_

Most of the campers laughed at this verse, and I kept my peace. Phoenyx frowned slightly.

_He dern't know how to speak correct_

_A gloomy young soul is he_

_He slurs like a snake, and he bites like one too_

_His voice is shrill like a shrew_

The laughter was louder this time. I cast Jason and Annabeth anxious looks. Phoenyx's jaw was clenched.

_Old Corpse Breath's son is a gloomy young soul_

_A gloomy young soul is-_

The music died. The little moron who was playing the song stopped and that cocky smile slipped. Nico was towering over him, glaring at him. He grabbed him by the shirt and pulled him off the bench.

"Wanna sing that again?" He growled, twisting his collar in his hand. The Apollo kid gulped and shook his head. "How long have you been here?" Nico asked, his voice quiet.

"A year," the kid squeaked, glancing around for help. Nobody moved.

Nico pulled his shirt tighter around his neck. "A year? Hm. I suppose nobody told you all that I sacrificed for this camp. For your ungrateful ass." The Apollo kid, I think his name was Ben, shook his head. Again, I glanced at Annabeth. Let them work it out, she mouthed. I nodded.

"You ever heard of Tartarus, punk?" asked Nico, spitting in Ben's face, who nodded. "Yeah. I thought so. But you haven't been there, have you? Didn't think so. Well I have. For this camp. For your, ungrateful, damn, ass!" Nico yelled. Phoenyx stood up. Nico continued yelling in Ben's face. "I stayed in Tartarus for _two freaking weeks!_ Tortured! Do you know what Akhlys said to me?" His voice was cracking. " 'Child of Hades, what more could I do to you? You are perfect! So much sorrow and pain!' Misery herself couldn't make my life worse. And now you have the nerve to mock me? Because I'm different? Because I'll never be normal? Damn you!" I rushed forward just as Nico started punching Ben, screaming curses at him.

"Nico! Stop!" I tried to pull him off the Apollo kid, but he ignored me. Phoenyx joined me, but was the only one who was able to stop the pummeling. Nico glared at her.

"Stay out of this!" he yelled, and went back to clouting Ben. Phoenyx grabbed him by the hair and dragged him backwards. She lent down and looked him in the eye.

"Nico," she said calmly, pinning him with her knee. "Cut it out. I understand how it feels to be-"

"No you don't!" Nico snapped, struggling to get away. "Nobody ever understands. _Nobody_. You don't know what it's like. _Let me GO!"_ Something in Phoenyx's cold gaze stopped him. I helped Ben off the ground, and motioned for Will Solace to take him to the infirmary.

"You don't think I know?" Phoenyx asked quietly, her voice tinged with sadness. She didn't seem angry, or frustrated. "I think you're wrong. I _have_ been to Tartarus. I lived there for a month. I think I know what it's like." Her eyes started to flash. "I've lost my family. All of it, not counting Hades. All of it." She yanked Nico to his feet. "And it was _my_ fault." Phoenyx looked away, and tears flooded her eyes. "It was _my fault!"_ she screamed. "_I_ killed my family! It's _my fault!_ It's _my fault_ Nyk is dead! You don't think _I_ understand? _You_ don't understand. And you sit here throwing a pity party for yourself, and beating some stupid kid up. _You have no reason to complain._ You disgust me." Phoenyx spat in Nico's face and darted off.


	10. Chapter 8: Hale

**AN: Hey all! Sorry I took so long updating. So here's a long one! BTW, be sure to check out my one-shot called Nico's Adventures in Shaving. R&R**

**Crazy Love**

I still can't believe I feel this way. I'm in love with a girl who caused the death of my favorite brother. And after two years of not seeing her, I still can't get her out of my mind. There is no way I can tell my brothers and sisters. They would try to turn me into a Labrador retriever, or a piglet. It's _not _a pleasant experience, I assure you. I can't tell anyone in my cohort either, even one of my centurions. Most of them weren't around when the incident happened. So the only person I could safely talk to would be one of the Praetors, Nico, or Hazel, or Jason (I look up to the _pontifex _more than I like to admit). Hazel and Nico . . . I don't think it would be the best idea to tell them they had a sister that probably died, but I'm still crushing on her. Jason is always out and about these days. And Praetor Zhang wasn't here with us then . . . so, Reyna. No way. I'm not that desperate. Yet.

This girl I like . . . she's been branded a murderer. She's supposed to be dead. But I _know _differently. Yes, there were exactly twelve corpses. One senator, ten legionnaires, and her. But somehow, _somehow _I know she is still alive. Her name is Phoenyx Rubidoux, daughter of Pluto. Er, Hades. Yeah. The same one the police have been looking for, even three years after she burned down a school. The pyromaniac. The terrorist.

I was the only person here at Camp Jupiter to see through the anger in Phoenyx's eyes, and stare into the vast ocean of fear, and anguish. When I found her, my intentions weren't to take her by force to New Rome . . . but my comrades wouldn't listen. So I went with it. And now, I regret that decision. It seems like every time I close my eyes, I see that desperate, pleading look. _Somebody, please! Stop!_

I shook my head to clear my thoughts. Rough wood scratched against my skin as I turned the unfinished staff in my hands. Because I am a son of Trivia, I usually work with the Vulcan kids to craft magical items. Things were going slowly, so I had decided to start on a project of my own. The staff was crafted of high-quality olive wood that I hadn't gotten around to sanding just quite yet, along with other spells of protection and elemental defense. I rummaged through a cupboard in the forge, and found a sheet of sandpaper. Vigorously rubbing the staff down with a square, my thoughts drifted back to the first time I met Phoenyx.

I swept my eyes across the afternoon horizon, just enjoying the sun on my skin. I don't mind guard duty at the bridge. It gives me a chance to get out and think. Sometimes even try out a new spell or two. My partner, Felix, was the only thing I didn't like about standing guard. The legacy of Apollo annoys the living god out of me. Always singing some ridiculous song about hermit crabs finding love with a starfish. And his voice isn't even good, at all. Seriously. It makes it ten times worse that I'm related to him, because my father is the great-grandson of Apollo. And the son of Hercules. And a legacy of Venus. And going way back, Bacchus. And more Venus. And even farther back, Neptune.

For once, Felix wasn't singing about hermit crabs. His eyes were trained on a dark figure in the distance, steadily running in our direction. I frowned. The person wasn't wearing any battle armor, but was carrying a wicked black sword.

"Felix?" I said nervously, shifting the _pilum _in my hand and readying my shield. "You seeing what I'm seeing?"

"Yeah," he replied, his eyes widening. The girl, I could see as she drew closer, looked like she was ready for a fight.

"Go get some someone out here. Quick." Felix dashed off. I readied my spear and yelled loudly. "Halt!" She didn't stop. Shadows started to collect at my feet, and the ground rumbled. I yelped as the earth split around me, and three skeletons crawled from the ground. _"Amittere pedes!" _Oddly enough, instead of their feet falling off before they could even stand, the spell caused the skeletons to slip back into the gape in the ground. I remembered what my father had said about children of Trivia: _Trivia was a friend of Pluto, and he granted her power over the dead. To a degree, but still. This is your secret weapon. _I felt an unfamiliar surge of power through my body, as if the if it were just recognizing its potential.

A shout erupted from behind me, and four more legionnaires came running on the scene(I didn't count Felix; he went to fetch Reyna). Larry, a centurion, took command.

"_Junge!"_ he ordered. "Close ranks!" We fell into position, as three columns, two in each, except for the farthest left. "_Ciringite frontem!" _Hold position!

The daughter of Pluto attacked incredibly fast. Almost inhumanly so. Our ranks stumbled as she hit the shields, and I stumbled to draw my sword. A loud roar sounded from her as she slashed and hacked with her sword, and one she had picked up after knocking Larry unconscious. The intruder's eyes flashed purple while she swung her blades wildly at me, and at the same time blocking from behind. The purple eyes triggered something in my mind, and realization dawned on me. She was insane. I blocked a blow with my shield and cast a binding spell.

_"Inhibeo!" _I cried, and immediately, the girl's arms flew to her sides, forcing her to drop her swords. Wordless yells came from her as she struggled. Her will power was strong. I couldn't hold the spell for much longer. My comrades recovered and scurried to their feet. "Quickly!" I gasped. "Can't- hold- much-" I felt a few familiar presences coming towards us. A wave of strength flowed through me as one of my siblings approached, helping out with the spell. One of the legionnaires hit the girl on the head, and her eyes rolled back into her head. They carried her across the bridge, where the praetors, Jason and Reyna were waiting. I released the spell, and my knees buckled. A thin face belonging to Aaron, my brother, smiled at me as he helped me stand.

"Need a little help?" he asked gently.

I laughed and nodded. "Larry's in bad shape. Let's get him to the sickbay, unless you want to waste more magic on healing him. I feel okay now." Aaron helped me to my feet, and together we took our centurion to the infirmary.

After taking Larry to the infirmary, I put on a fresh change of clothes. I say fresh, but many other people would disapprove of my choice in threads. Despite how long my linage is, it is a poor one. Well, not necessarily poor, but almost everyone has more of a love for the outdoors than for people, so I tend to wear less neat clothes. Unless you call going around barefoot, with beat up cargo shorts, a torn flannel shirt, and a red bandana around my head 'tidy'. The only thing I wear that could be described as 'tidy' would be my Camp Jupiter tee shirt. It's not that I _can't _dress nice, it's just I don't want to. It's harder to do magic when you are uncomfortable. Besides, I think the calluses on the bottoms of my feet are enchanted.

Anyway, an hour later, I was summoned to a meeting with the praetors in the Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus with Felix. Two legacies of Mercury were waiting to escort us to the garden at the exit of the barracks. They led us down the cobblestone road up to Temple Hill. The Imperial Gold shrine to Jupiter glittered in the light of dusk. Reyna and Jason both were sitting with their chairs facing the statue of the king of gods, looking concerned. Octavian, the augur, stood on Jason's right side, looking bloodthirsty. He'd always had a strong dislike for me. The feeling was reciprocated. The son of Jupiter spoke first.

"Hale. Felix. Thank you for being prompt. Now," he sighed. "About that incident. Tell me exactly what happened." Felix opened his mouth, and mentally rolled my eyes. This could take forever.

He basically retold the story in ten times as many words as I would have, and he hadn't even been there for half of it. Jason promptly dismissed him after he started singing about crustaceans, and milling about the temple aimlessly. I thanked the gods. Man, did Felix get on my every single nerve.

Octavian insisted we read the Auguries, to see what kind of omen this was. His already paper-white face paled even farther when he stared into the plush-toy stuffing.

"It's - this is - a bad sign. A _very _bad sign." I'd never actually seen the Augur genuinely worried. Reyna narrowed her eyes.

"What kind of bad sign?" she inquired. Octavian looked up from the strewn around cotton.

"One of death. Of _twelve _deaths, to be precise."

Jason shifted uncomfortably. "Can you tell who's?" The Augur scowled at the stuffed animal again.

"No . . . only that an important person will die. And a legacy of a long lineage will lose a close friend."

Reyna rubbed her temples in an impatient gesture. "And you . . ." she searched for my name. "Delgado person . . . Hale. . .?" I nodded. I was used to people calling me Zachery Delgado, my father. Or just Delgado. "Tell us your part." I took a deep breath, and stared at the sky.

"Like Felix said, we were standing guard. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary for the first three hours of the shift, until it hit five o'clock. Then, the intruder appeared on the horizon, running toward the both of us with her sword drawn. It seemed to me to be an aggressive action, and I sent Felix to bring help. The intruder was about two hundred feet away, when three skeletons emerged from the earth, and I dispelled them." Octavian made a disgusted noise and muttered, 'Underworld spawn.' Reyna shot a look at him, and Jason's brow knit.

"How did you do that?" he asked.

"Trivia has power over the dead too," Reyna reminded him. Understanding covered his face, and he motioned for me to go on.

"So, the skeletons disappeared, and then Larry and a few others came as backup. The intruder charged, and even slammed into our shield wall. Somehow during the brief contact with our shields, she managed to knock Larry out. I noticed how reckless she was: it wasn't normal. At all. Her eyes were purple, and something in my gut told me she's insane. It's the blood of Bacchus in me. Once I-"

"Aha! I knew I saw _some _kind of madness in the entrails," Octavian exclaimed triumphantly. Reyna gave him another _would you shut the heck up? _look. I cleared my throat.

"As I was saying, once I restrained her with a spell, I had a hard time holding it up. The girl's will power is very strong. I don't know if it was the madness that made her so resistant, but whatever the case, it was unusual."

Octavian shook his head. "I knew it was a terrible omen, I knew it," he told us. Both the praetors' concern deepened. Jason fingered his magic _denarius _that turned into either a sword or spear when he flipped it. I fiddled with my bandana.

"This can't be good," Reyna concluded at last. "Neil?"

"Yes, Praetor?" responded one of the escorts.

"Tell everyone who was there at the incident that this must not be spoken of. Not with comrades, no one." She looked at me. "Hale, who would you say are the best fortifying magicians?"

"Aaron Grayson, Silas Lance, Grant Vincent, and Brenda McGarrick," I replied. "Aaron is the best, but he gets bored easily."

Jason nodded. "And Erik, find these four and fill them in too."

"Yes, Praetors," chorused the two, and their footsteps echoed on the marble floor as they exited the temple.

"Delgado," Reyna addressed me again, "would you speak with the prisoner? To see what you can learn?" I nodded. "Thank you," she sighed. "But be careful. Bring some enchanted items for protection."

"Yes, Praetor. Anything else?" I asked. Both Jason and Reyna shook their heads.

"Ah, just one thing," started Octavian, just as I had turned around to leave. "Don't wear such shabby clothes," he said disgustedly. "You look like some kind of homeless hillbilly." I smiled pleasantly, even though inside, I wanted to turn him into a parakeet.

"That's the idea, Augur." I saluted, and headed to the mess hall's basement. I could hear Jason and Reyna snickering as I left. _Lares _passed by me(and sometimes through me) as I descended the stairs to the prison. The musty, underground-y smell would have bothered most people, but I was used to the scent of mildew. The staircase opened up to a room roughly fifty by thirty feet, width to sides. Parts of the room were sectioned off with enchanted steel bars, forming cells.

At the end of the room was a lone cell with a solid, Imperial Gold door, enclosed with dull green cinder blocks. Inside the cinder blocks were probably steel or Gold reinforcement bars. The bricks glowed faintly, and they were covered with ancient Greek runes and symbols(for some reason, Greek runes have to be used in magic. Nobody knows why). In front of the Gold door sat one of my brothers, Kael(this causes a lot of confusion, since I'm Hale and he's Kael. So I usually get called Delgado).His chair was tipped backward against the magic door casually. His baggy clothes looked kind of funny on him, because he's so scrawny. That's one of the things that sets me apart from my half-siblings: I'm not at all scrawny. In fact, the opposite is true. I'm rugged. Un-brainy looking. Dare I say, really buff. Not Mike Kahale buff, but not too far off, either. My dark hair and green eyes, plus the tattoo of a torch and a key on my right arm, are the only things that identify me as Trivia-spawn. It makes things even more confusing, because I am a legacy of five other gods, too. I've been told I have the Hercules buffness, the Venus charm and looks(I really have no clue why people say that. I'd say I'm pretty average. But girls are always staring at me whenever I work out, so . . .), the Apollo way with music and words(but I absolutely stink at archery), nothing really with Bacchus, except for the fact that I can tell if someone is drunk/insane or not, and absolutely zilch with Neptune. I don't think having a knack for knowing who's water bottle is who's really counts. In my opinion, I look like your average Filipino hick, except for my green eyes.

Kael nodded at me. "What's up, Delgado?"

"I'm here to see the prisoner," I stated. My brother palmed his staff nervously.

"Like, go _in_ there?"

"Yeah. Don't worry. I've got my bad-arse protection amulet," I assured Kael. His thin face still looked worried. "I'll be fine. I can charmspeak, remember? Venus is my grandmother, and my-"

Kael laughed. "Okay, I get it. No need to lecture me on you linage." He sighed. "Well, good luck. You know the procedure. You go in at your own risk, and once you're in, I can't help you. You're on your own. And no weapons that don't have Grade A security passwords." I nodded.

"Thanks." Kael chanted a few lines, and the door opened. He handed me a key, and slowly, I walked inside. I faced a small cell, barred off with enchanted Imperial Gold. On the opposite wall was a bench, with the daughter of Pluto sitting on it. Her body was slumped forward, with her chin on her chest, and her arms shackled behind her. It reminded me of a crucifixion, and I was glad we didn't do those anymore. For once, I got a good look at the girl. Her dark brown hair was braided down the center, Katniss Everdeen style. Two small wisps of blond hair framed her head like a circlet. She was obviously underfed, and her black clothes were torn in numerous areas. I fished the key out of my pocket, and unlocked the gate to the inner cell. The girl didn't stir. I lifted her head from her chest carefully, so her neck wouldn't be sore when she woke up. Her face was pale and peaceful as she slept, and despite the cuts and grime on her it, she looked angelic. I reached into another pocket, pulling out a healing amulet and placed my hand on her shoulder.

_"Iniurias in pelle sanentur," _I chanted. 'Skin injuries healed.' The thing with magic is that you have to be specific, otherwise you could spend way too much power, and even kill yourself trying to heal somebody's every single health problem. I felt the magic leave me, and the cuts and bruises shrunk, and disappeared. The only mark left on her face(besides dirt) was a small scar on her lower lip, that I hardly noticed. It half reminded me of Jason's scar on his lip, but his was on the top. I figured it was time to wake her up and talk to her. I summoned more power and spoke a waking spell. _"Concitata mens."_

The girl's eyes snapped open, and she stifled a shout, shrinking away from me. Her face was a mask of confusion and fear, like a wild animal that woke up in a cage, her breathing was shallow.

"Where am I?" she gasped. "Why am I here?"

"You're safe," I soothed, subtly adding a little charmspeak in for good measure. "I'm not going to hurt you. You can relax." Her body un-stiffened slightly, testifying to her strong, but still human willpower. The haunted look was still there. "You're at Camp Jupiter," I informed her, still using a calming tone. "You, uh, attacked our watch guards earlier." She looked disappointed and anxious.

"I did?" I nodded. She sighed. Probably would have facepalmed if she had a free hand.

"Who are you?" I asked with charmspeak.

The girl bristled guardedly. "Is it any of your business?"

I shrugged. "I guess I'll introduce myself first. I'm Hale Delgado, son of Trivia." She regarded me analytically, seeing if I could be trusted.

"Would you stop charmspeaking me?" she demanded.

I laughed. "Okay. I'll stop. Go on, if you want to. I promise I won't make you."

She breathed in relief. "Thanks. I'm Phoenyx Rubidoux, daughter of Hade- er, Pluto." I dropped my eyes.

"Just so you know, people here aren't exactly fond of the god of wealth," I warned her, fingering a piece of PVC pipe I found on the ground.

"Nobody ever is," Phoenyx muttered. I met her dark eyed gaze. I couldn't tell the color of her eyes. They were like a blend of dark amber, grey and a touch of green, which was hard to name. All traces of the purple I saw in them earlier was gone.

"Are you aware that you're insane?" I inquired, searching out with my Cray 'Z Meter, but only finding a dormant blob of purple in her mind.

Phoenyx looked away again. "Yeah. It was a curse. I don't ever remember what happens during my fits, but I've been almost every type of insane you can think of. Except kleptomaniacal." I gave her a funny look. She laughed softly and cleared her throat. "So, Hale, Delgado, son of Trivia, why are _you_ here, talking to me? To get information?"

"No. I - I don't - well, yes, I was instructed to talk to you, but not to torture you or anything. And I, uh, kinda just wanted to talk to you."

"I don't see why you'd want to do that. I'm not the kind of person people 'just want to talk' to. I'm usually avoided." Phoenyx's eyes were a picture of brokenness. Something in me felt like it was slowly melting, like ice cream on a mild day.

"I disagree," I said flatly. The daughter of Pluto looked guilty.

"You wouldn't think that if you knew me." She shook her head bitterly. I looked her straight in the eyes.

"Why not let me decide that?" I asked.

Over the next few days, I had some major changes made to Phoenyx's living arrangements. She was given fresh clothes, and allowed frequent bathroom trips and a shower once a day. I made sure she was also comfortable in her cell, with good food and a nicer bed. After a few heated discussions, I even convinced Jason and Reyna it was safe to take her shackles off. Everybody who came in some kind of contact with Phoenyx had to keep absolutely silent about what the commotion and we all had to take an oath. Especially the Senate. You would not believe what blabber mouths they are.

I pulled off my flannel button down and Camp Jupiter tee shirt, and stuffed them into my knapsack. The rain was pelting the roof of the Second Cohort barracks like hammers thudding into grass, and this was my favorite type of weather. I like to experience it as much as possible (with the exception of walking around in my birthday suit. Or a Speedo. Neither is becoming), so going shirtless was the way to go for me. Luckily, being un topped was a-okay for guys. My guitar was standing in its case, propped up on my bunk. Slinging it on my back, I made a mental checklist. I inhaled the smell of water falling from the sky and walked out into it. The sight of everyone else in windbreakers, rain boots, and holding umbrellas made me laugh. I guess the tropical blood doesn't run in everybody's veins, but it sure does run in mine. I whistled a tune and walked cheerfully into the dining room, when a few centurions were playing a board game, and a couple from New Rome was talking in hushed voices. I nodded to Larry, who still had a nasty lump on his head the size of a golf ball.

"Centurion," I greeted him. He nodded back.

"Hey, Delgado." He tossed a card onto the game board, and the other centurions groaned. Brenda McGarrick, one of my sisters, was climbing up the stairs when I reached them. She smiled at me.

" 'sup, Hale?" she asked.

I shrugged. "You know."

Brenda laughed. "Yeah, I do. Have fun with your girlfriend." She laughed again and walked away, leaving me to stand there awkwardly, blushing.

"She's not my girlfriend," I muttered, and descended the staircase. Thankfully, some of the Ceres kids had set up vases with fragrant flowers to cover the musty smell in the basement. Grant Vincent, another brother, was lounging in a chair reading an issue of _Mistified Journal _magazine, for legacies of Trivia. His greasy black hair kept falling in his eyes, and he repeatedly would blow it away with a puff of breath. I waved at him, but got no response. I sighed. He was deaf, and I stink a sign language. Walking closer, he started when he finally realized I was there.

"Hi, Grant. I need the door open, and the key," I said loudly, making sure to enunciate. Thankfully, he can read lips incredibly well.

"Hi, Delgado. Just a second," came the slurred reply. He whispered the password to the Imperial Gold door, and it swung open. Grant handed me the key, and I stepped inside, the door closing behind me. My eyes adjusted, and I saw Phoenyx studying a scroll and muttering in Latin about horny toads. I smiled.

"Hey, Phoenyx."

She looked up and returned the smile. "Hale. How you doing?" she asked. I felt self-conscious her eyes drifted to my bare chest.

"Bare- I mean good," I replied, hoping she wouldn't put two and two together, and realize four was the way I felt about her. Phoenyx looked solemnly at me.

"You know, you only have the right to bare arms. Not the left." It took me a second, but I got it. I grinned, all traces of awkwardness gone. Now I remembered why I like her: she willingly put herself in awkward situations to make others feel _less _awkward.

"So, if I kill a bear," I chuckled, "I'd get to keep its right arm. And my own arms, but only the right one can by bare." Phoenyx laughed. I fished my Camp Jupiter tee shirt out of my knapsack and pulled it on. Phoenyx nodded to my guitar.

"You play?" she asked. I nodded, and unzipped the gig bag to bring it out. I sat down next to Phoenyx and plucked a mellow chord progression. Her eyes followed my fingers intently, both fingerpicking and fretting hands alternately. She kept rhythm with her foot tapping against the stone floor in perfect time, and her head bobbed slightly. With a quiet strum, I ended the sequence on a minor chord. Phoenyx looked like she was itching to try.

"You wanna play?" I offered, holding the guitar out to her.

"Thanks," she replied eagerly, and took the instrument from my hands. She frowned slightly, and looked around. "Do you have a capo?" I nodded, and pulled one from the gig bag's pocket. Phoenyx placed the clamp on the second fret and slipped a pick out from the strings on the head of the guitar. The songs started on a minor chord, and shifted to a series of major frettings. The strumming pattern and progression seemed vaguely familiar, maybe from something I might have heard on the radio. Slowly, as the song reached the end, Phoenyx's strumming became quieter, until the music faded out. She shrugged. "That's about my best."

"It's great," I insisted. She raised an eyebrow.

"Not compared to you." It was my turn to shrug, as she handed the guitar back to me.

"I've got the blood of Apollo in me."

Phoenyx laughed. "That would explain why you're so good, but I think it's more than that. Play some more." I took a deep breath and racked my brain for a song. I launched into a melody, a mixture of picking and strumming, while singing along with it.

_When the days are cold_

_And the cards all fold_

_And the saints we see_

_Are all made of gold_

_When your dreams all fail_

_And the ones we hail_

_Are the worst of all_

_And the blood's run stale_

_I wanna hide the truth _ I was almost sure that Phoenyx was harmonizing along with it, singing softly.

_I wanna shelter you_

_But with the beast inside_

_There's nowhere we can hide_

_No matter what we breed_

_We still are made of greed_

_This is my kingdom come_

_This is my kingdom come_

_When you feel my heat_

_Look into my eyes_

_It's where my demons hide_

_It's where my demons hide_

_Don't get too close_

_It's dark inside_

_It's where my demons hide_

_It's where my demons hide_

_At the curtain's call_

_It's the last of all_

_When the lights fade out_

_All the sinners crawl_

_So they dug your grave_

_And the masquerade_

_Will come calling out_

_At the mess you made_

_Don't wanna let you down_

_But I am hell bound_

_Though this is all for you_

_Don't wanna hide the truth_

_No matter what we breed_

_We still are made of greed_

_This is my kingdom come_

_This is my kingdom come_

_When you feel my heat_

_Look into my eyes_

_It's where my demons hide_

_It's where my demons hide_

_Don't get too close_

_It's dark inside_

_It's where my demons hide_

_It's where my demons hide_

_They say it's what you make_

_I say it's up to fate_

_It's woven in my soul_

_I need to let you go_

_Your eyes, they shine so bright_

_I wanna save that light_

_I can't escape this now_

_Unless you show me how_

Here, tears started to slowly roll down Phoenyx's cheeks.

_When you feel my heat_

_Look into my eyes_

_It's where my demons hide_

_It's where my demons hide_

_Don't get too close_

_It's dark inside_

_It's where my demons hide_

_It's where my demons hide_

She looked at me, her deep eyes full of grief and anguish. That melted ice cream feeling covered me again.

"Hale," she said quietly, and laughed a little, "You've been reading my mind."

"I didn't know, I - I promise -" I said quickly, hoping I hadn't ruined anything. Phoenyx laughed hoarsely again. Carefully, she took the guitar out of my hands and zipped it into the case. She sat down next to me again, on the edge of the bed and looked me in the eyes.

"Son of Trivia, legacy of Hercules, Venus, Apollo, Bacchus, and Neptune, can you keep a secret?"

Hours later, Phoenyx sat with me, shaking as she wept into my shoulder while telling about her brother's death.

"It was supposed to be a harmless prank. To create a small explosion in the toilet when the principle flushed. That was all Nyk and I wanted to do." She struggled to hold herself together. "Somehow, the toilet cleaner reacted to the ingredients the wrong way, and instead of shattering the tank, that whole side of the plumbing system exploded and the building burst into Greek fire. At the same time, it triggered a fit of madness, and - and- Hale, it was-" Phoenyx broke down into sobs again. I slipped my hand into hers and wrapped my other arm around her protectively.

"You don't have to go on if you don't want to," I reminded her. She was silent for a few minutes before sitting up to face me. As she continued, I started to picture what Phoenyx told me in my mind.

The school building was covered in hungry green flames, consuming the walls and everything in them like a vacuum. The ceiling was crumbling, and parts of it crashed to the ground in front of students and teachers alike who surged toward the nearest exit. A maniacal cackle sounded from a nearby hall, over the blaring of fire bells and shouting occupants. Phoenyx raced at an inhuman speed down the hall toward the trapped crowd of frightened mortals. Her eyes shone a bright purple, and a guttural sound escaped her throat as she summoned the dead and sent them at the civilians before screaming triumphantly and running away. An incredibly tall figure dressed in black took enormous strides toward her, coughing repeatedly.

"Phoenyx!" Nykolas rasped, lengthening his steps to catch up to her. She only responded with a bellow of crazed laughter. The tall figure sped up, overtaking her in a split second, and he hit her over the head with a flashlight. Phoenyx crumpled to the ground. The son of Pluto lifted her into his arms and carried her outside of the inflamed building, and darted back into it. His cough was getting harsher and harsher as he advanced into the maze of Green fiery walls, looking side to side. Panicked screams were sounding from behind a closed door, and the lanky teenager dashed toward it and slammed into it. The door didn't budge. He pulled a flip knife from his pocket and opened it. The blade expanded to a four and a half foot long sword, forged of Stygian Iron. With an overhand blow, he struck the lock, and the door flew open. Hordes of wailing children and teachers rushed the door, and knocked the boy over. He stood up and continued his search.

The scene drifted back to Phoenyx, lying on the sidewalk, unconscious. Nykolas, covered in soot, cuts and burns stumbled outside the building, his chest heaving. He collapsed on the ground, his hands barely stopping his face from slamming into concrete. A loud retching noise broke from his mouth, leaving a pile of ash on the ground. He dropped into it, unable to move. Phoenyx bolted awake, gasping. Her frightened and unfocused eyes met Nykolas' limp form, and a strangled cry escaped her.

"Nyk!" she rolled him onto his stomach. His gaze was glassy and distant.

_I'm dying, _he said dazedly, through the empathy link. _I see Mercury coming to take me._

_ No,_ Phoenyx pleaded. _Nykolas, you _can't _die!_ Nyk sent a wave of emotion over the link. Sadness.

_Looks like I don't have a choice, Phyx. _A pause, then panic. _Phoenyx, quickly! Break the link! Remember? If I die, _you _die too!_

_ I want to die. I can't live without you. I don't want to, _she replied, cradling his head in her lap.

_Phoenyx, please! _Nyk implored. A wordless struggle of minds, until Phoenyx relented. She broke down in sobs and started to let go of her side of the link. Phoenyx described it as losing a part of your awareness. You feel isolated. Nykolas' eyes opened slightly.

"I'll talk to dad," he whispered hoarsely. "Worst comes to worst . . ." a raspy hack interrupted him. "Meet me in Elysium." Phoenyx felt his soul drift away from his body, and Mercury appeared standing next to him, looking solemn.

"I'm sorry, Phoenyx. I truly am. I wish things could have been different . . . but the Fates decide. Not Mercury, god of messengers." Nyk's ghost smiled wanly, and fare-welled with a final salute before journeying to the Underworld for the last time.

The image in my mind faded, and I was left here with Phoenyx Rubidoux, daughter of Pluto, possibly the demigod with the hardest life ever known on this earth. Even after the death of her brother, Phoenyx still had many hardships in her life, past and present. Growing up in the Underworld was by no means easy, and Pluto had pushed her to the limits with training. Phoenyx said he hated her after she destroyed the Rubidoux family, and chopped off half of Nyk's leg(which was replaced by a steel prosthetic that functioned like a real limb). And he was Pluto's favorite.

After Nyk died, Phoenyx was forced onto the streets by the FBI and police force searching for a pyromaniac, which led to more 'acts of terrorism', or plain and simple accidents. Not only was she chased by the country and monsters, the Hunters of Diana were after her, too. Most of the gods disliked her, and want her dead. And now here she was, capture. Imprisoned by her very kind. Crying on my shoulder. I'd always known I'd had an easy life, but this made my worst nightmares seem docile.

"Well, Hale Delgado, son of Trivia," Phoenyx said at last. "Now that you know me, am I the type of person you 'just want to talk' with?" I glanced away and back at her.

"No. I'd rather do much more than just talk with you." She moved closer to me, an unbelieving smile on her lips. My arm wrapped around her shoulders, and she leaned against my chest. Then something happened that I never would have dreamed could. At the same time, both our heads came together and our lips met.

Now that I look back on it, that was a strange place for a first kiss. In a prison cell. But that didn't make it any less magical, or memorable. Now, two years later, I remember it just as fresh in my mind.

Phoenyx and I sat there in each other's arms for another five minutes, until we kissed again. The ice cream on a hot day feeling was overwhelming. In a good way. I was melting from the inside out, and loving every second of it. It was dark outside by the time I left the basement and headed upstairs for dinner. I sat next to Aaron at the Second Cohort's table, but didn't say much. He noticed me picking at my salad and staring off into space. My half brother set down his fork and put his thin hand on my arm.

"Hale," he said, looking me straight in the face, "What's wrong?" A wistful smile tugged at the corners of my mouth.

"Nothing," I replied cheerfully, and took a swig of _horchata,_ a delicious Mexican drink that is my all-time favorite beverage. Aaron shrugged, but didn't look convinced.

"Say what you will." He took a bite of salad and continued talking. "I discovered the spell for making fire dance," he announced.

I grinned unbelievingly. "Really? That's great! So what is it?" I asked enthusiastically. Aaron had been looking for this spell for weeks, just for fun at first, but eventually the impossibility of finding it made him want to know it even more. You can use simple sentences in Latin for magic, but more intricate and elemental magic requires very specific wording. And with this type of magic, get one word wrong or mispronounce in a spell, and you could kill yourself. The best case scenario is you get knocked out.

_"__Ignis,__saltant__ad voluntatem meam," _Aaron said excitedly. I face palmed.

"Really? 'Fire, dance at my will'? It was that simple?"

He laughed. "I know, right? We were looking for something complicated, and I didn't even think of it." I shook my head in disbelief. We ate in silence again, until Aaron had guard duty. He shook his protection amulets to make sure each one was there, and he descended into the basement.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I don't own the song. It's by Imagine Dragons, called Demons. <strong>


	11. Chapter 9: Phoenyx

Phoenyx: The reason why I Cuss, not Curse

My heart was pounding like a symphony of drums as I ran, and tears streamed down my face. _It was your fault,_ the voice inside me whispered. _You spilled innocent blood. You killed your own family. You deserved to stay in Tartarus, like the monster you are. Murderer. Thief. _It felt like a thousand pound weight was attached to me. Pulling me down. I stumbled into the Hades cabin and flung myself onto a bed, sobbing. Memories of the deaths I caused replayed in my mind like some sick movie. Three of my siblings lying dead on the stone floor, a bloody sword in my hand. My mother's shrieks and howls. Nykolas, burned and cut, dying as I held him. Hale Delgado's tormented eyes as he held his dead brother in his strong arms while they dragged me back into my cell. The gas tank exploding, and bodies flying everywhere. The screams of children in a burning building. _All your fault. All your fault . . . _the voices chanted. A strangled cry formed in my throat. _No . . . no . . ._ I whimpered. _It's not my fault . . . it was an accident . . . _

But I knew better.

Suddenly, I was back in Tartarus, facing the Arai. _I desperately sliced through the air with my sword, and immediately fell to the ground. _I'm burning alive_, I mused panickedly. A scream escaped me. I could feel the flames eating up my flesh, the horrible, terrible feeling of your bones turning to cinder. Another spirit shrieked and dove toward me. I barely had time to bring my blade up to impale it. A loud cracking noise erupted from my ribcage when a force like a train traveling at a thousand miles per hour hit me. My pathetic croak echoed off the walls of the cavern, and I fell backward. The Arai screeched gleefully and flew down to prolong my suffering. The experience faded._

_The sword dropped out of my hand as blood started to pool around the son of Trivia's body. An alarm sounded, but I was too shocked to move. I had killed plenty of monsters. But this was different. I murdered a demigod. Hale's brother. Legionnaires stormed into the basement, shouting orders. They grabbed me by the shoulders and forced me into the cinderblock wall. _

"_Aaron!" cried a familiar voice, as Hale thundered down the stairs. He faltered as his eyes met the lifeless form on the ground. "Aaron," he said softly, his regal face a mask of disbelief. _

"_I'm sorry, Hale," I choked, tears rolling off my cheeks. Hale knelt next to his brother and held him in his arms. His tan face drained to a sickly white._

"_No," he muttered, "no." He looked up at me, his deep green eyes wide and pleading please, tell me you didn't do this. The Romans started to pull me back into the cell, yelling loudly. I didn't struggle._ Hale's sad gaze was frozen in my mind.

It was like Tartarus all over again.


	12. Chapter 10: Nico

**Nico: A lot to Take in**

By the time I reached the cabin, the only thing on my mind was Phoenyx. I know what pain does to people. I've seen it in myself. I twisted the knob and rushed inside. There was a pool of clear liquid on the black marble floor. I slipped into the Shadow Layer. A cluster of Shadow Spirits formed a protective circle around something. I moved toward them and shooed them away. Phoenyx was lying curled on her side with her head in her hands.

_Leave me! _she boomed.

_No, _I replied. _It wouldn't be right. I'm sorry. I . . . guess I forgot I'm not the only one who's suffered. Please, whatever it is, let me help you. _I reached down and touched her shoulder. My whole body recoiled. I could feel her pain, her guilt. I saw Nyk die, and I felt his loss. I knew Hades' rejection, the scorn of mortals, and the hate. Her physical turmoil was mine. Her scars were mine. How she kept from going insane . . . I don't know. There was one thing in the midst of all the suffering that made it possible to hold on, that gave her a will to live: Love. Nyk's, mine, and . . . one I didn't know, that was somehow different. I pulled away. My heart felt like a three hundred pound weight was attached to it. I could tell Phoenyx had seen my experiences too. I'd never felt more exposed, more naked of secrets and barriers . . . not even when I encountered Cupid.

_How . . . the guilt . . . _I faltered.

_It's killing me, Nico. I'm dying,_ my sister said gravely.

_But . . . how? _I asked. She didn't reply, and didn't meet my eyes. _Please, tell me. _I reached for her hand, but she recoiled and pulled it away.

_Some things are better left unknown,_ Phoenyx said quietly. Something in her voice told me not to pursue it, but I did anyway.

_I have a right to know, _I reminded her. _I'm your brother. _

_ That's exactly why I can't tell you. _Her eyes were wet. She pulled away and turned her back to me. I tried to follow her as she moved away, but the Shadow spirits grabbed me by the arms and held me back.

_Phoenyx! _I yelled. _Please! Stop! Just let me help you!_

_ No, _she said, her voice breaking. _I must do it alone. You wouldn't live. It would kill you. And I can't loose another brother._

_ And I can't loose another sister! _I protested. Suddenly, the Shadow Sprites shrieked and dropped me like a hot potato. A voice like the earth ripping itself in half sounded. I clamped my hands over my ears.

_TELL HIM! _It thundered.

_No! I can't! _Phoenyx screamed.

_TELL HIM! DO NOT DENY ME, CHILD! _

_ No . . . Please, Father. It will destroy him. Don't make me. Please! _she pleaded.

_DO AS I SAY, OR SUFFER THE CONSIQUENCES! _

_ Fine! _Phoenyx sobbed. I lay there, trembling, hoping the terrible voice had gone away. Cautiously, I sat up. Phoenyx stood up shakily and pulled the half glove off her right hand. The skin on her palm and the back of her hand was smooth and pink, pulled taut. Burn scars. Not terrible ones, but bad enough to make one cringe. But what was on the other hand was much more terrifying.

A faint glow emanated from the tattoo. Words were written in a spiraling pattern, getting smaller and smaller as they curled into the center. Even still the words were clear:

_Your warning is the meeting of another _

_Thy saving grace is the blood of a brother _

_Else Hades' Heron will fail and the Ghost King smother _

_And as dust-to-dust, both will fade to the Nether_

_That's the truth. That's the big secret, _Phoenyx said bitterly. The thought crossed my mind that those were the exact same words I had used after I confessed I had a crush on Percy. _I'm cursed. And if I don't find a way to break it . . . _her voice broke. _You will die too. And I will have caused it. _I sat in shock. The Fates are cruel. So, so, so cruel, it made my blood boil like lava. My sister had gone through so much, just trying to survive, and now this.

_I can't let that happen, _Phoenyx said softly. _Not again. Not after what I did to Nykolas. _

I stood up and took her glowing hand. _Let me help you, _I insisted. _We'll figure this out together, or die together. _

_ Thank you, _she whispered, and leaned her forehead into my shoulder. I hugged her close. She drew us out of the Shadow Layer. We stood on the fringe of the woods, maybe ten yards behind the Zeus and Hera cabins. The moon illuminated the roofs of the cabins, and the moist bed of earth on the forest floor. Phoenyx's figure seemed to melt into the shadows, probably the only reason I could see her was because I knew she was there.

"Nico? Hello?" a familiar voice called.

"We should go," Phoenyx said softly.

"Yeah." We walked side by side toward Percy, who apparently had terrible night vision.

"Poseidon's Underpants!" he yelped. "You scared the living god outta me! Where the Hades _were_ you?"

"Doesn't matter," I said. "Tell everybody to go to bed. And let Chiron know we need to meet tomorrow."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

That night, I dreamt again about Pheonyx's past.

The Rubidoux family was sitting around an oak table eating. Hades, at the head of the table, cleared his throat.

"I am sorry to say I have business to attend to that cannot wait." He glanced at Phoenyx. "I regret I shall not be able to dine with you tonight. He stood up and left the room. The family of six dined in silence. A chubby little boy, about a year old threw a spoon across the table and laughed loudly. Phoenyx's mother scolded him and asked Nyk to hand it back to her. Phoenyx stiffened and looked straight ahead, her eyes glowing purple. She stood up.

"Ellie," Ms. Rubidoux chided, "sit back down." Phoenyx didn't move. Her mom gave her a hard look. "Eleanor, I said pleas sit down." No reply. "Eleanor Phoenyx Rubidoux, I will not–'' Phoenyx slammed a knife point down into the table. It was buried up to the hilt. Carol Rubidoux flashed with anger. "Young lady, for the last time–" My sister threw a goblet at her. It hit her in the face and knocked her back. Nykolas got up.

"Phoenyx–!" She grabbed him by the wrist and threw him across the table. His nose bled. Phoenyx drew a sword on the wall and brandished it. Nyk scrambled backwards. His sister advanced, and cut deep into his lower leg. An anguished, high-pitched scream came from him. His pant leg was torn below the knee, soaked with blood. He pulled it aside and gagged. His leg was cut deep into the bone, and blood was pumping out at an insane rate. He passed out.

Phoenyx was swinging the sword around wildly, hitting her brothers and sister. I prayed for the dream to end. I tried to block it out. Nothing worked. I watched all of them, except Nyk die.

I started awake, gasping and my heart pounding. _It was just a dream, _I told myself. _No. Maybe it was to me, but that was real. It actually happened. _

I presence entered the room. A ghost.

"Show yourself," I ordered. The figure wafted into a shape I'd seen before. Nykolas. He hopped easily onto my bunk and sat down. A wicked grin like the Cheshire Cat's crossed his face.

"Little brother. We meet again," his smooth tenor voice said casually. "I see you've been dreaming about my past." He picked his golden crowned tooth with a fingernail.

"What happened after that?" I asked, leaning against the wall.

"Don't remember anything after passing out. All I know is during that time, my lower leg got chopped off, and replaced with a high-tech prosthetic. Woke up a hundred years later and my mom was dead. Committed suicide after she found my siblings' bodies." He stared at the wall in silence. "You know, I never even saw daylight until I was eleven. Never'd seen a tree, or even grass in real life. Only in movies."

"Why?" I asked. Nykolas scowled.

"Hades didn't want us exposed to the world. He said we weren't ready, until he decided our training was done. But I used to sneak out early. Once Phoenyx caught me going above surface. But I made her promise not to tell our dad, in return for taking her up for a few minutes. I remember the awed look on her face. She couldn't believe how blue the sky was, or how incredible the wind felt." Nyk shook his head sadly. "That innocent little girl is gone. She always was a warrior, but she'd never seen the gritty, dirty, evil side of war. I almost wish I could have lived and Phoenyx died. She wouldn't have had to suffer so much." His intense brown eyes met mine. "Have you ever felt that way, Nico di Angelo?"

"No. I haven't." I tried not to look away from his steely gaze.

"Do you love my sister?" he asked.

"Yes." Nykolas hopped off the bed and looked over into Phoenyx's bunk. She was lying on her side with one of her arms hanging off the edge. He brushed his hand over her cheek and looked back to me.

"Take care of her. Or I swear, I will kill you." I hadn't been so scared for my life in years. I could see Nyk would not hesitate to slit my throat if something happened to Phoenyx. But then his hard expression softened.

"No. I couldn't. She wouldn't forgive me. Do you have any idea how much she loves you already?" He almost looked jealous. "She would die for you. In a heartbeat. Phoenyx doesn't trust people the way she trusts you."

"Take care of her," he whispered.


	13. Chapter 11: Hale

**AN: Hey, guys! I'm back! Here's a long one. Reviews are love, people. Keep them comming, if you would like faster updates. (Hint hint) Plus, if you haven't already, check out my one-shot, Nico's Adventures in Shaving. R&R  
><strong>

I stared at the ground in silent rage as Reyna yelled at me. Frank stood behind her looking apologetic.

"Delgado, you know better! I cannot accept this kind of behavior from one of our eldest veterans. You could have seriously injured one of the other legionnaires with that kind of magic." Her regal face was furious as she bombarded me with lectures. "Why, Hale? Why are you suddenly so reckless?" The blood rose to my face.

"It wasn't sudden," I replied coldly, and this time I met her eyes. "_You, _as Praetor should have noticed two years ago that I stopped caring as much. It was then I realized there is corruption everywhere. Even in this precious little camp." My voice rose in intensity. "You aren't as observant as you would like to think, Reyna. You didn't see the fear and sadness I saw in her. Phoenyx didn't deserve this!" I pushed the Praetor backward, and she stumbled in surprise. I pointed at her angrily. "You don't deserve the title you own. I tried and tried to tell you it _wasn't Phoenyx's fault! _And you didn't believe me. I hold no respect for you anymore." I could feel a rush coming on. The feeling I got before I went Hercules-berserk. My fist flew foreword and connected with Reyna's temple. She fell back and tried to move away, but I advanced, after letting out a dragon-worthy bellow of battle-rage. Zhang grabbed me by the shoulder and tried to pull me away. I landed a back fist to his jaw, and an uppercut to follow. I picked up a nearby chair and smashed it into the ground next to Reyna, shattering and sending splinters flying.

"Guards!" Reyna barked, quickly getting to her feet. She drew her sword and held its point at my throat. I knocked it aside with the back of my hand, and grabbed the arrow Zhang shot at me, snapping it in half. I jumped toward him and threw my leg into his gut. Three armed legionnaires rushed in. I took two of them out with a fancy double kick off a handstand. Reyna tried to Judo flip me, but I countered with an elbow to her ribcage. A sharp, searing pain sprouted from my shoulder and arrow lodged itself in deep, buried a quarter of its length into the muscle. I gasped in pain, but grit my teeth and ignored the burning sensation in my arm and picked up a piece of wood from the broken chair, slamming it hard into Frank Zhang's head. He staggered back, and I followed through with another hit that broke the piece of chair in half. He collapsed in the grass. Reyna wrenched the arrow out of my arm. I howled in pain and dropped the board. With the butt of the sword, she hit me hard in the liver. Black spots filled my vision, and the pain was almost unbearable. Right before the Praetor could slam the pommel of her sword onto the back of my head, I leapt to the side and tackled her. Blood roared in my ears as I grabbed Reyna by the neck and started to throttle her. Suddenly, more pain sprang from my forearm. My hand went limp, and I clutched it close. Reyna shrimped out from under me. I stood up, but her knee came up and hit me hard in the groin, then the head. I doubled over and fell to the ground.

* * *

><p>My whole body ached when I woke up. My gut was churning, and my arrow wounds throbbed like Thanatos himself. I lifted my head and saw both wounds dressed in gauze. I immediately regretted moving my head once it started pounding like a drum. Light filtered through the window curtain, making me squint. I recognized the sickbay by a few Apollo legacies wearing scrubs. One of them noticed me awake, and her eyes widened.<p>

"Um . . . could I have some water?" I asked with a cough. She quickly rushed off out the door, whispering to some other legacies. I sighed. My memory of the fighting was foggy . . . like it all was dream, and I just woke up. Only the injuries actually happened. About half a minute later, the Apollo girl was back. I gulped when I saw who was with her, and I knew how much trouble I was in. Reyna's hard, cold glare was almost unbearable. Her face showed signs of heavy bruising and her neck had marks that looked suspiciously like fingers. _My _fingers. She walked up to me and smacked me hard in the face. I didn't wince, but a small moan escaped me as my ears stung.

"Hale Delgado," she said briskly, "son of Trivia, you are discharged from the Twelfth Legion Fulminata, and exiled from New Rome for three years. You have been charged and convicted with the assault of two Praetors and the attacking of multiple Legionnaires. You will be publicly flogged at noon in two days." The Praetor let this sink in, before handcuffing my good wrist to my bed. I couldn't believe it. My seven years of faithful service. Gone. Meaningless. And being banished? That was almost as bad. I wouldn't be able to see my dad anymore. He might be callous sometimes, but I still love him. He _is _my only real family. My eyes started to well up with tears. Where would I go? To Camp Half-Blood? Would they even allow me to stay?

The struggle to remain strong on the outside grew harder as was fed a small ration of food. I was basically doomed. How was I supposed to live on my own, out in the world with no protection? I was sure monsters would kill me before my three years of exile were over. I stood little chance of survival against the hordes of creatures just drooling to taste demigod flesh. I was proficient in my weapons, and my spells would protect me some, but being alone, exposed, with no place to put my head at night was almost a sure sentence. A death sentence.

Reyna gave me one last deadly glare and stormed out of the infirmary, her purple cape flourishing behind her. A tear trickled down my face. Now I knew how Phoenyx felt. Rejected, alone, misunderstood. Sure I screwed up badly. Very badly. But so had Phoenyx. I knew I needed to find her, even if I died trying. I needed the comfort of unconditional love. Unlike my father's.

His bulky figure entered the room, his greenish-blue eyes were hard with anger, and his massive muscles flexed. Disappointment was evident in his disgusted expression.

"Why, Hale?" he said quietly, but no less intensely than if he'd held a knife to my throat. "Why'd you suddenly decide you hate the two people who can determine your fate with the snap of a finger? Was taking your anger out on them losing your membership in the Legion? Worth being exiled for?" I held back my sobs.

"Dad, it wasn't like that," I said desperately, hoping to find pity in his stony face.

"Do you know the implications this puts on me? Huh?" he yelled. "On my legacy? On my family? You know what shame to people who bear the name Delgado will feel? You have stained _my _legacy, boy. A godly legacy like none other, in any other millennia." I was speechless. My father's hard eyes were wet. "I expected to see you as Praetor. You have let me down beyond comprehension, Hale."

"Dad–"

"I'm not your father. I have no son. You are dead to me."

Sleep evaded me that night. My father's words echoed in my head like a broken record reminding me of the shame I brought upon him, and myself. _You are dead to me. _I turned onto my uninjured arm and stared into the inky blackness of night. The Nectar/Unicorn draught IV trickled into my arm slowly. I was tempted to pull it out, put my other hand was out of commission for at least a month. I watched the shadows of the trees dance on the window curtain. The day after tomorrow, I would be humiliated in front of my comrades, my former comrades rather, like a criminal. Beaten. Cast out. I held up my bandaged arm and lifted the gauze slightly. A lump formed in my throat as I looked where the wound was on my forearm. The arrow had penetrated right through the center of the symbol of my legacy: the key of my mother Trivia, and a club for my grandfather Hercules. I screwed my eyes shut, and tried to wake up from the nightmare. But it was really happening. I squeezed my eyes close tighter.

The dream didn't fade.

But a different one did come.

I had no body, just a sense of presence. A girl in black Spartan battle armor shrouded with a veil of shadows. She had her arms around another figure in black. This one, a boy, in a royal chiton made of black material, that at a closer look, had ghostly souls woven into it, was cradling her head to his chest. Off to the side was another black clad figure, a tall man, I guessed, who wore a black chiton as well, but this one was covered with jewels and pieces of bones. His image shimmered slightly, as if he were only an apparition. Dust swirled at his feet restlessly. His intense brown eyes met mine, and I would have shuddered, if I had a body. He gave me a creepy, yet playful grin and winked at me before dissolving into a dust cloud. My attention turned back to the other two. The boy took the girl's helmet off and kissed her forehead gently. His raven black hair contrasted to his pale, almost luminescent skin like black ink on a pure white sheet of paper.

"I'm not leaving you," he said quietly.

"This is my battle," replied the Spartan girl. She shook her braided hair and closed her eyes.

"Two countries, ours our, one in all but name. My land is your land, sister. Your people die, my people die as brothers with yours. Perhaps the cure to this disease will be found." He looked her in the eyes. "There is yet hope."

"You will die for sure by aiding me. I am not asking you to stay away. Please, brother," she said harshly, turning away from him. His eyes grew sad.

"I've lost so much already. I can't lose another sister."

"And I can't lose another brother," she argued, her voice rising. "After what happened to the Land of Knights. I wouldn't have you waste your life on a lost cause."

"But my people would perish too! This disease will spread like wildfire if we don't together find its cure. Then our sister country would be left alone. The Land of Gems is strong, but not strong enough on her own." A mental struggle seemed to be going on inside the girl's head, but she relented to her brother.

"I suppose there is no other way. I thank you for helping me, Nico." The boy's figure started to change, till he was a teenager in black jeans and an aviator jacket. Nico _di Angelo_. He smiled sadly.

"I love you, Phoenyx." She also morphed, into a girl about fifteen, wearing grey running shorts and a black windbreaker with a knife and sword belt at her waist. It was Phoenyx. _My _Phoenyx. So she had gotten to Camp Half-Blood. Now I just needed to get there . . .

Oblivion interrupted my thoughts until morning. That day, I was pumped full of Unicorn draught, with godly food in moderation. Apparently, they wanted me healthy for my flogging. Ironic. I spent half of the day asleep, and the other half restlessly thinking about my doom, and my dream the night before. I figured out that 'the Land of Gems' was Hazel Levesque. I could only guess the figure that winked at me was Nykolas. I decided to travel across the country by subway, and train. Maybe hitchhiking on trains, if I couldn't afford a ticket. The rest of the day passed slowly. I praised the gods once night came, anxious to be over with my punishment.

The morning of my sentence came, and by the time I was done with breakfast, I felt okay-ish. I was given a sling for my arm. The whole in my shoulder was still painful enough for me to try my hardest not to move it, but my forearm was worse. Some of the tendons in my arm had broken and still mending. I was told not to use it for a minimum of a month and a half. If I lived that long. How was I going to survive with one arm out of commission? With an injury like this one, and monsters around every corner, how could I fight? I had my magic, but I was restricted from bringing any enchanted items beside my staff, an Imperial Gold machete, and my best protection amulet. The other things that were packed for me were clothes, my guitar, a meager twelve-day supply of food, water, Unicorn draught, Nectar and Ambrosia, my tablet (which contained all the scrolls I needed), A winter jacket, fifteen _denarii, _plus fifty mortal dollars. After my supplies ran out, I would have to find some way to eat and drink. Not to mention a place to sleep.

At eleven forty-five, my escorts came to fetch me to the Coliseum. I was told to take off my shirt and sling, forcing me to hold my arm close to my body with my other hand. My bandages also had been taken off for the flogging. What made it hard to hold my arm in the right place was the fact that my hands were tied in front of me. The guard on my left didn't seem to care that was the injured arm, and brutalized it thoroughly. Normally, I would have shrugged his arm off, and it would have been easy if I weren't injured, because I was obviously so much stronger. My gut churned as I walked down the stairs to the center of the Coliseum, and I felt hundreds of eyes on me. At least half of the two, three hundred people there were citizens of New Rome, and the other half Legionnaires. I noticed Frank was now with Reyna, though he looked dazed and disoriented. Reyna shot me another look that I was getting used to from her. I glanced anxiously at the whipping block next to me. Reyna raised her voice, and it filled the stadium easily.

"People of New Rome, Legionnaires, you have come to witness the punishment of Hale Delgado, son of Trivia, legacy of Hercules, Venus, Apollo, Bacchus and Neptune. He has been convicted of assaulting both Roman Praetors, direct disobedience of orders over many instances, the attacking of three Legionnaires, and helping in the attempted escape of a prisoner." She paused. "His punishment: dispatch from the Legion, exile from New Rome for three years, and twenty-four lashes with the Cat of Nine Tails. One lash per year of age, and one per year of broken service." I saw the accusing looks of the members of the Legion, the pitying, yet disgusted reactions of my former cohort members. My tattoo stung like poison. _You betrayed them,_ a voice whispered in my mind. I hung my head in shame. "Tie him to the block," ordered Reyna. I was ordered to kneel, and my hands were tied above my head. My wounds seared in protest, but I stayed silent. A magic blocking amulet was hung on my neck, and I was offered a sip of water and a mouth guard. I accepted both, and braced my back for the pain.

_SNAP! _I felt the sharp ends of the whip cut into my flesh, tearing away with the rest of it.

"One!" yelled Mike Kahale, who was my punisher. I clamped my jaw down on my mouth guard and tried not to make a noise.

"Two!" _SNAP!_

"Three!" _SNAP!_

I managed not to cry out until I hit ten.

"Eleven!" _SNAP! _A grunt escaped me as the Cat of Nine Tails sunk deep into the skin and muscle of my back, burying themselves deep, and then ripping out.

"Twelve!" _SNAP! _I gasped at the pain. Every time Kahale's arm came down, my pain was tenfold worse than before. Blood dripped down my back onto my legs, and staining the ground crimson. Being flogged feels like the skin on your back is being torn from the muscle, and being shredded by a thousand razorblades. It was by far, by impossibly far, the most pain I'd ever had.

I reached fifteen without actually screaming, but seventeen broke my will.

"Eighteen!" _SNAP! _followed by my screams of pain.

"Nineteen!" _SNAP!_

"Twenty!" _SNAP!_

I'd lost all air to breath. I felt like I would explode into flames of pain if I tried to move. I succumbed to the whip and relaxed my body as best I could, even though I knew it would tear deeper. I tried to let oblivion overtake my thoughts. I had no more fight left. I remember nothing after hearing the twenty-third terrible snap that would haunt my dreams for years.


	14. Chapter 12: Phoenyx

**Hellooooo! READ IT, FAVORITE IT, REVIEW IT! You know you wanna! Constructive criticism is DESPERATELY wanted! Tell me what you might like to see! Tell me what to improve! FEEDBACK!**

**Phoenyx: Yeah, if you don't tell Nyk what he's doing wrong, he'll think he's perfect. He gets a bloated head sometimes.**

**Me: I do _not! _I am just fully aware of my capabilities! **

**Phoenyx: Ooohhhhh, _riiiiighhhhht. _Baloney sandwich, right there.**

**Me: Be quiet. I'm writing this story, not you. **

**Phoenyx: (smirks) Am I right, ladies? **

**Me: Just - forget it. **

Hale. Gods, it was good to see him again. He arrived, torn, bloodied and bruised, but alive. Monsters had chased him practically the whole way here. Mostly hellhounds, and the bite-marks were evident all over him. He had woken up a few times, and told me why he had come to Camp Half-Blood. Pain and I, ha, we go way back. Know each other pretty darn well. But I could hardly fathom the affliction of flogging that Hale described. Yes, he messed up. He got what he deserved. But that didn't change the fact that it severely damaged my already base opinion of Romans. I admire their bravery and loyalty, and their warrior lifestyle, but they treat everyone the same, no exceptions, nothing. To them, Hale was just another rouge that needed punishment. Just another criminal, stripped of membership to the Legion. And . . . the worst part of it . . . he was punished for defending me. True, he did react rashly out of anger, but aside from that, he was asked for his opinion and he gave it.

I ran my fingers lightly over the outline of his jaw, strong and defined. His deeply tanned face was peaceful. Regal. The rhythmic rising and falling of his chest assured me he was asleep still. His choppy black hair could hardly be called a Roman haircut now. It didn't fall into his eyes, though. It just stuck out in all directions. I smiled. His hair always had a mind of its own. Thick lashes stood out from underneath a dark brow, that when his eyes were open, just made the emerald irises stand out like ink on paper. He was incredibly handsome. Godly handsome. Trust me, I know. I've met a lot of gods. But none of them rivaled Hale. And that was where it had stumped me.

Why on did he ever want my friendship, then my affection? I don't understand. I'd killed his brother. His comrades. And he could easily have so much more. I wasn't pretty, really. I'm not saying this because I'm self deprecating, but I'm not. I'm rather plain. Hale could afford a girl more beautiful than I. His flawless tan, noble face and chiseled figure made him far more attractive than any other mortal, demigod, or immortal I'd ever seen. He would make Apollo go home to Delos and cry. It made it ten times worse (and better. He wouldn't get an inflated head) that he didn't know just how perfect he was, in every way. He was selfless. An effortless charmer. Easy to like. Hale would rip the skin off his back and go it to anyone who needed it. No one better could represent what a true Roman should look like than he: proud, but un-boasting, tough, but gentle, cautious, but hospitable, loyal, trustworthy, selfless. A true abnegator. He is intelligent, strong, and hard willed, but willing to submit to authority.

And I . . . was a quirky, troubled, melancholy head case with major issues, emotional and mental. Destruction followed me close behind, and death was my wake. Sure, I was very strong and fit, but I was no model. Half the time, I was underfed and underweight, ribs sticking out like bike handlebars. I had no permanent home, no sure guarantee of food (except when I stole), and I couldn't go four days without having a mental breakdown. I was a coward, to scared to face my fears, or even think about them, and that ate at me like poison. On some levels, I hated myself. My conscience was heavier than an ironclad, weighing me down like I was carrying the world on my shoulders. There were times when I was tempted to end it all right then and there . . . I'd even held the gun to my head . . . but I never could pull the trigger. I knew where I would go when I died. Not Elysium, not even Asphodel. The Fields of Punishment. I had promised Nyk I would meet him in Elysium, where we would be together, as a family. With my long dead siblings.

I wasn't like this before Nyk died. Rather, before I killed him. I was a shy, quiet, philosophical kid, that only goofed off around my brother. I had a serious interest in martial arts, as I still do, and I wanted to be a firefighter. But, as it were, my own brother was killed by _my _fire. I I'd always loved the outdoors, and couldn't stand to be cooped up for long. I enjoyed writing, dreaming about a world that in some ways mirrored my own. A troubled, broken puzzle. But unlike my story, this world always had a happy ending. There would be no happy ending for my life. I was destined to die young, already with sins weighing on my back, dooming me to eternal Punishment.

Something inside me felt like it was sinking. I couldn't give Hale any hope. There was none. I needed to cut him off, to save him from the heartache of my inevitable destruction. I know he wouldn't understand, and would be hurt beyond measure . . . but better than what would occur once I was gone. I had to tell him that his love couldn't be returned properly. I wasn't even sure if I could love that way anymore. How I wasn't entirely mad, and entirely suicidal, I don't know. Tartarus . . . snapped something inside me I knew could never be fixed. Maybe patched up a bit on the edges, but never fully healed. I'd barely escaped that cursed place with my life a year ago, and still, it haunted me as if it were yesterday. Who I was had been altered permanently. Nico understood this, when we touched in the Shadow Layer. I tried to hold back the pain and heartache, but it rushed out like a raging river. He too will never be the same. But I wouldn't burden Hale with that. I'd be giving an angel hell. I didn't want to be responsible for ruining yet another life.

I brushed the back of my hand against his cheek, then held it gently. I pressed my mouth to his, savoring the sweetness of his breath, and the mild taste of coconut on his soft lips. I pulled away, but not wanting leave. Longing for the love we once knew, even if for a short time, but could never share again.

"I wish it didn't have to be this way," I whispered, and wiped the tears out of my eyes. I turned around when I heard quiet, almost inaudible footsteps. Nico stood in the shadow of the door, his raven black hair partially shading his dark eyes.

"Do . . . do you love him?" he asked quietly. I swallowed the lump in my throat.

"I did." He cocked his head slightly to the side in a subtle question. "I - I don't – I don't think I will ever be capable of it again. And I couldn't let him experience the hell I've been through." My voice caught as I spoke the words. Words that I dreaded. My brother's eyes filled with understanding, and he beckoned me into a hug. He pulled me close protectively, and I buried my face in his arms.

"I get it. I've been there. And I swear by the River Styx, I will do whatever it takes to keep us alive and together."

**AGAIN! READ IT, FAVORITE IT, REVIEW IT! You know you wanna! Constructive criticism is DESPERATELY wanted! Flame if you want, as long as it makes sense! Tell me what you might like to see! Tell me what to improve! FEEDBACK!  
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	15. Chapter 13: Nico

**A/N:** **I am _terribly _sorry I haven't updated in over a six months. There were some complications with my computer, and life was, well, life. In other words, things were hectic, and still are, but I will make an attempt to post more often.**

** Yours truly, **

** –Nykolas**

We had gathered around the Ping-Pong table in the rec room, as soon as Hale could walk. It wasn't all the cabin leaders, just me, Phoenyx, Delgado, Will, Thalia, Jason and Piper. Percy and Annabeth had gone on a date on Governor's Island, to check out some architecture stuff, and to investigate the huge storm brewing over New York. Chiron sat in his wheelchair at the head/foot of the table, a mug with the words "Number One Centaur" filled with steaming hot coffee in hand.

"Thank you all for coming," he said, sipping his drink. "As I understand it, Phoenyx has something urgent to share." My sister swallowed and pulled her hands out from under the table, revealing the text of the curse on the back of her hand.

_Your warning is the meeting of another_

_Thy saving grace is the blood of a brother_

_Else Hades' Heron will fall and the Ghost King smother_

_As dust-to-dust, both will fade to the nether_

A sharp inhalation spread around the room as each person present read the Greek words. _"Di Immortales," _Jason cursed under his breath. "A prophecy."

"A curse," Hale corrected, his regal face a mask of worry. "But whose?"

"Mine," said Phoenyx gravely. She slipped her hand into mine, and I felt her shaking. I squeezed her hand reassuringly. The other one gripped the edge of the table till the knuckles were paper white. "And if we don't find a way to break the curse, both Nico and I will die."

"So you're sure you are Hades' Heron?" asked Piper, playing nervously with the feather in her braid.

"In legend," began Chiron, sipping his coffee, "The Phoenix was a heron. And this Phoenix happens to be the daughter of Hades."

"But," said Thalia, leaning back in her chair and putting her boots on the table, "what I fail to see is how this affects me and the Hunters, or why I'm even listening."

My face got hot. "My sister Bianca was part of the Hunt, she died defending part of it, namely, you," I growled, "If it were me, I would honor that and protect her family." She considered this and shrugged agreement.

"But how are we supposed to break this thing? Is there, like, some magic words or something?" Piper said, fidgeting in her seat. Chiron sighed.

"It's not that simple. Usually the gods will give the cursed hero a quest, for something they want," the ancient centaur explained.

"But there's nothing mentioning a god or goddess, or even a quest," said Will, frustration evident.

"If . . . Nico and Phoenyx _did _die, they would both go to Elysium, right?" asked Delgado, itching underneath the bandage on his forearm, an anxious expression on his face. Phoenyx's eyes darkened, and she looked away.

"Nico would," she said softly. " He is a hero. I wouldn't. My place would be the Fields of Punishment."

"Why do you think that?" I demanded quickly, as my head snapped up.

"I've killed too many innocent people. Demigods . . . mortals . . . over fifty died at my hands," Phoenyx said, and her voice caught. Her breathing was shallow and irregular, like she was having a panic attack.

A frustrated silence hung around us as the reality of another prophecy was sinking in. I jumped when I heard footsteps behind me. But what I saw behind me was even more startling; Rachel Dare, shrouded by green mist stood, her eyes glowing.

"The prophecy is not complete," she said, in an eerie tri-tonal voice.

_"Your warning is the meeting of another_

_Thy saving grace is the blood of a brother_

_In dead life of a Victory lies the cure_

_His life from yours saves maybe for sure_

_"Victorious King, or Victorious Knight_

_You must see by the sound and not by the sight_

_Life in Death is not what it may seem_

_The forming code of his, it lies in your heme_

_"Face the Fates like a Spartan, face what you dread_

_Or you can never wash the blood off your head_

_Your anguish, your guilt, they both fan the flame_

_Of the madness inside you that death alone with tame_

_"In order to live, Phoenyx Rubidoux must die_

_To spread her wings and finally fly_

_Else Hades' Heron will fail and the Ghost King smother_

_As dust-to-dust, both will fade to the nether"_

The Oracle collapsed on the ground, trembling. Jason and Will rushed to her side, and lifted her onto a nearby sofa. Will sent Piper for a damp cloth and dabbed it against Rachel's forehead. Her eyes fluttered open, wide with alarm. "I –What? What happened? I was talking to them, and suddenly I went blank," she mumbled disorentedly.

"You gave us a prophecy, I said gravely.

"A really long one," Will added. Rachel frowned.

"I actually . . . think I remember it."

"No . . . no, no, no, not now. No," pleaded Phoenyx, and I turned around. She was shaking like a leaf, clutching her head in her hands, rocking back and forth on the edge of her chair.

"Phoenyx," Hale said urgently, rushing to her side, "What's wrong? His eyebrows shot up as he laid a hand on her shoulder. "A fit of –"

"Some one get some rope!" Phoenyx ordered, her voice shaky and shrill. "Quickly! Please!"

"Why, Phoenyx?" I demanded, "What the Hades is going on?"

"Get away!" she commanded, and backed into the wall.

"Phoenyx–" Hale implored. Phoenyx, sinking to her knees, let out a gut-wrenching scream, writhing. I reflexively covered my ears, and barely evaded being tackled. Phoenyx scrambled to her feet and launched herself at Thalia, her eyes flashing a deep purple. My mind flashed back to the dream I had a few days ago. When the curse-orb had flown at Phoenyx.

_She was insane. _

Phoenyx's roar woke me out of my momentary daze, just in time to see my sister's fist connect with Thalia's jaw. The Hunter grunted and dropped onto the ground like a sandbag. Chiron popped out of his wheelchair and galloped off to find Dionysus. Delgado chanted in Latin, green Mist swirling around him, but he noise of his spell casting was overpowered by Phoenyx's mad howls. Phoenyx turned to Jason and lunged, drawing a throwing knife and slicing, barely missing him each time by a hairsbreadth. Will dove out of the way, standing over the stunned Oracle protectively. Piper's charmspeak cut through the air like a hot knife in butter.

"Stop!" she ordered. "Stop attacking everyone!" Phoenyx whipped around and knocked her down with a spinning heel kick to the ribcage, and threw her elbow at Jason's face. He only just brought his hands up in time to shield his head from the rain of blows, varying from body shots and headshots. Somewhere, the knife clattered to the floor. I jumped to my feet and grabbed her by the waist, pulling her away from the son of Jupiter. Her elbow caught me above the cheek, and I stumbled. She landed a front kick in my stomach, knocking the wind out of me, and sending me tumbling onto the ground. Phoenyx was on me in an instant, clamping her vice-like hands around my neck like a constrictor. My hands flew to my throat, and I desperately tried to pry her hands off me. Wordless snarls and guttural noises came from the back of her throat as she throttled me.

Jason latched his arms under hers and yanked hard backward. Both of Phoenyx's hands released on my windpipe, and I gasped. She head-butted Jason, drew another knife, and slashed him across the chest, and one side of the wound bled extensively. I scooted away from my sister as she advanced, and pounced on me like a leopard. One hand went to my throat again, the other poised with the knife above my head. Phoenyx stabbed down at my head. I managed to move at the last second and only get my ear cut. Another knife appeared in her hand, and she aimed for my head once more. I grabbed her by the wrist and tried to stop the blade from coming down, but my strength was fading fast. The lack of oxygen, weight and gravity disadvantages were taking its toll on me. My arm shook as the point of the knife inched closer and closer toward my forehead, till a small sharp pain sprouted on it. I pushed my hips up from my legs, and bucked Phoenyx off. Gasping and panting, I dragged myself under the Ping-Pong table, away from where Jason and Phoenyx were now brawling. A note of finality sounded in Delgado's spell, and Phoenyx's legs buckled under her, and her arms were pinned to her side. Green rope was wrapped around her like glowing vines, restraining her from moving. The sound of running feet echoed on the wooden planked floor, and two Demigods and Chiron rushed in.

"There!" shouted Cole, pointing to Phoenyx. Maddie knelt at her side and touched a hand to Phoenyx's forehead, and yelped. Phoenyx snarled at her, straining against the ropes

"Hurry," grunted Hale, beads of sweat collecting on his face.

"But –" stuttered Maddie, "That's never happened before. I only took a glance–"

"Come on!" urged Cole. Maddie sighed and placed her hand on Phoenyx's head once more, her eyes closing in concentration. Slowly, the purple light began to drain out of her eyes, and she stopped thrashing. Her unfocused eyes met mine, filled with sorrow and guilt.

"I'm sorry," she whispered hoarsely, and then her head fell back onto the ground.

…

I woke up in the infirmary about an hour later. Will had treated the gash on my head with a simple bandage and ointment, and the bruising on my neck with a butt-load of ice. I felt better physically, but the pain I felt for Phoenyx didn't lessen. _Gods. How could she live like this for so long? _I realized that when we touched in the Shadow Layer, she had been holding back so much. I shuddered. Most people thought I was the most miserable demigod ever. But Phoenyx took heartbreak to a whole other level. It wasn't right.

Will smiled as he passed by the cot I was in. "Hey. How are you?" he asked, leaning on the nightstand beside the bed.

"I'm okay," I shrugged. "How are Jason and Phoenyx and the others?"

"Phoenyx is just exhausted, and angry, mostly at herself. Jason has a fairly shallow cut in his left pectoral half an inch into the muscle, but some Nectar and Ambrosia should fix it up nicely. Piper has a stomachache, Thalia has a mild concussion, Hale passed out from strain, but all around, no major injuries," he replied cheerfully.

"That's a first," I said. Will chuckled. I swung my feet off the side of the cot and stepped down. I felt decent, considering I'd nearly been throttled less than ninety minutes ago.

"Phoenyx is in your guys' cabin. But be back in the rec room by three o'clock. We're resuming the meeting then.

"Alright. Thanks," I replied, and headed into Cabin 13. Phoenyx was sitting on her bunk with her legs hugged up to her chest, her chin resting on her knees. She looked up when I came in, and a look of guilt crossed her face. I sat down next to her and kicked my boots off.

"What exactly happened earlier?" I asked, but I was confident I knew the answer. Phoenyx sighed.

"I have these fits of madness frequently. I received a curse when I was five, and ever since . . . I get them every twelve days, if I'm lucky. I'm often not." I didn't reply for about a minute.

"Is your real name Eleanor?" I glanced up at her to see her reaction. Her face darkened, and her eyes were haunted.

"Where did you hear that name?" she demanded quietly, and her eyebrows drew together in suspicion.

"In a dream," I replied, feeling uncomfortable. "A dream that showed me part of your past."

"Morpheus," Phoenyx said angrily, "Stupid god of dreams is always meddling with me. I hate him." The scowl faded off her face into a sorrowful expression. "Eleanor was my first name. I changed it to Phoenyx after my mother killed herself. She was the only one who called me Ellie on a regular basis. I didn't want to think about her death, because she went to Asphodel. So I changed my name." I gave no reply, after finding nothing to say. "What exactly did the dream show you?"

I described the scenes I saw, with Hades and Phoenyx's mother arguing, and the scene with the curse orb, and watching the death of her siblings.

"How do you live with it?" I said bitterly.

"Honestly," Phoenyx said, in a small voice, "I don't. My brain can't process the pain. So it shuts down, and that is part of the reason why I'm insane."

"But why do you choose to go on?" I looked deep into her eyes; bottomless orbs filled with history: tragedy and happiness, rimmed by dark irises the color of pale liquid amber. Phoenyx met my gaze with utter defeat.

"I didn't choose to. Nykolas made me swear to hold on. To hold on at least long enough till I had earned Elysium. Trust me," she laughed mirthlessly, "if I had a real choice, I'd be dead. I'd figure something out last second and go to Asphodel."

"Do you truly want to die?" I asked, my voice catching.

"No," Phoenyx sighed, "I suppose I just wish things were different. That I hadn't killed my siblings. That my mother didn't die. That Nyk didn't die. That I actually knew what life was about. I lived in the Underworld for ten years. Even when I was allowed out, my life consisted of trying to avoid being killed by monsters, and figuring out what my next meal would be. But in some ways, life was simpler back then."


End file.
